Translating research findings into actionable insights for service staff, system leaders and local policymakers Care City

Across Barking and Dagenham, Care City has used joined up data to better understand how the population uses services. For example, through an Advancing Applied Analytics project, the impact of social isolation on health and care utilisation was explored.

Research findings should advance understanding of quality of care, highlight gaps, provide context for service improvement, and support prioritisation of action. This Evidence into Practice project aimed to ensure that the lessons learned from research within the Care City dataset were heard and understood by the people who run the local health and care system.

The project involved creating and sharing tools and resources with local policy and commissioning audiences to improve their decision making in relation to the most intensive users of health and care services, and improve their understanding of local service users, data and data-sharing.

The project team undertook a series of activities, including interviews with informal carers to analyse the impact that having a carer has on individuals’ health and social care use. This enabled a connection to be made to the research findings, with clear descriptions of those who face challenges locally.

The cohort dataset was used in a number of ways, including in identifying those areas that should be a high priority in ensuring key information on COVID-19 and shielding support was provided to them; identifying the health and social inequalities amongst the Black community in Barking and Dagenham; understanding the trends of seasonal flu vaccine uptake and how this could inform the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine; and understanding the impact of multiple GP surgeries serving the same care home.

Tools and resources have been produced and the findings presented to groups of leaders within the local health and social care sector. This enhanced understanding of the outputs of the research and highlighted opportunities for local intervention and improvement.

Contact details

For further information, please contact Jenny Shand, Director, Care City.