Deputy Director (Research) Jo Coast on our first External Advisory Group meeting

In my first formal engagement with NIHR CLAHRC West, I took part in its inaugural External Advisory Group meeting on 22 and 23 June. The opening afternoon of the meeting comprised presentations from CLAHRC West staff on the research undertaken so far, and it provided me with a great opportunity to really understand the work that has been undertaken prior to my joining the CLAHRC. It is easy to read lists of research projects without really getting a feel for the work, but listening to the presentations of these projects truly brought them to life.

I have to confess that, even knowing that CLAHRC West is conducting strong research, I was surprised by how inspiring the presentations were. I was particularly impressed by the extent of collaboration within the work – including with patients and members of the public – and the diversity of topics. A number of presentations were made jointly by the researchers working on the project and those directly affected by the issues under investigation. We heard, for example, about the stigmatising impact of autism within the Somali community, and how the research has generated not just traditional academic outputs, but also community theatre. We also heard about how a patient’s desire to avoid post-operative urinary retention had led to a systematic review of evidence in the area, aiming to find alternatives to avoid this unpleasant outcome.

The research was at various stages through completed, ongoing and in the planning stage, but what was clear to me was the extent to which the research is really engaging with the issues that face healthcare providers and commissioners on the one hand, and patients and the public on the other. As an economist who has repeatedly expressed concerns that much of current health economics thinking is not targeted in a way that can impact on the realities of health provision, to see that CLAHRC West’s research is so clearly focused on what matters to those within the health service and those who benefit from it, was both inspirational and exciting. I look forward to having a part in it in the coming years.