Health and Care Workforce Interdisciplinary Research Network
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An integral part of the Institute’s research and knowledge exchange activity, the Health and Care Interdisciplinary Research Network comprises members of the faculties of Health Sciences and Wellbeing and Arts and Creative Industries. The Network draws together the collective and synergistic knowledge and expertise across the two faculties to extend the breadth of research activity, knowledge exchange activities for the University including funding opportunities and outputs for REF and KEF. The governance and financial management of the Network sits within the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute.
Dr Yitka Graham is the Convenor of the Health and Care Workforce Interdisciplinary Research Network, (HCWIRN) which is a collaboration between the Institute and the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries. The HCWIRN carries out research and knowledge exchange activities that explore the contribution of arts and creative practice to improve health and wellbeing, with the aim of reducing inequalities and disparities in health and care.
The role and contribution of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VSCE) sector in building resilience is explored through our social prescribing research. The government has invested in social prescribing as a means of supporting health and wellbeing. Social prescribing connects people to practical and emotional community support, through social prescribing link workers and self-referrals. It helps people get more control over their healthcare, to manage their needs and in a way that suits them. Social prescribing links them to a range of activities that are typically provided by voluntary and community sector organisations.
Sunderland City Council, Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group and the National Lottery have developed Crowdfund Sunderland, an innovative approach to supporting the third sector to carry out neighbourhood projects and to improve community resilience. The Institute has been commissioned to undertake an evaluation of Crowdfund Sunderland and is working together with organisations to future recommendations to continue this approach.
The Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute is part of the Sunderland-wide social prescribing partnership, overseeing policy development and developing research and knowledge exchange activity to support the VCSE sector and to support post-pandemic recovery, reduce health inequalities and build community resilience.
Our first project, ‘Time for Tea’ a collaboration between the HCWIRN, Veterans in Crisis Sunderland, and Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group was part of the Impact Case Study for the National Glass Centre for REF2021, and was cited in the University’s first Knowledge Exchange Framework submission in 2020. We have been awarded further funding to continue our social prescribing work, which is making a positive impact on veterans living in Sunderland.