Research and implementation

Our applied health research aims to provide equitable, appropriate, and sustainable health and care across the West. We undertake projects focused on healthier childhoods, mental health, public health and prevention, and integrated and optimal care.

Our researchers are based in four teams, focused on their expertise in research methodologies: behavioural and qualitative science, applied data science, evidence and health economics.

See all our research projects

We work across the following research themes

Research themes

Healthier childhoods

Working with our colleagues in primary care, child health, child and adolescent mental health, children’s social care, as well as police and schools, we will build the evidence base to enable frontline services, working with children and their families, to do a better job in their fight to reduce the harm caused by childhood adversity and deprivation.

Theme lead: Professor Karen Luyt

Projects

All healthier childhoods projects
Service users make up a client council to discuss issues at a day centre

Integrated and optimal care

With limited budgets and resources, health and care has to become cost-effective yet fair, reaching the right people at the right time. New interventions and service changes must be supportable into the future, as well as considering environmental impact and use of resources. Our research in this theme supports these challenges.

Theme leads: Professor Nicola Walsh

Projects

All integrated and optimal care projects

Mental health

Mental health determines how we think, feel, behave and relate to others. It is important at every stage of life, from early childhood through to old age. Our theme undertakes research that aims to improve mental health and reduce unintended harm in the care of people with mental health problems.

Theme leads: Dr Lucy Biddle and Professor Paul Moran

Projects

All mental health projects
A child and an adult walking along a pavement

Public health and prevention

This theme is about preventing ill-health, focused on communities rather than individual patients. Improving public health is a major challenge, embraced by a wide range of organisations, not just the NHS, including local authorities and communities. This theme undertakes research that helps prevent illness, keeping people healthier for longer.

Theme leads: Sara Blackmore and Professor Russ Jago

Projects

All public health and prevention projects

Research methodologies

A woman in a blue uniform, at a workbench in a laboratory, smiling

Applied data science

The applied data science team uses data to uncover the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions, and how these link to health services, using the best techniques to increase the reliability of their findings.

Theme lead: Professor Yoav Ben-Shlomo

Counselling

Behavioural and qualitative science

The behavioural and qualitative science team focuses on adapting behavioural interventions for diverse communities and using qualitative methods to understand the views, cultures and behaviours of individuals and groups. They uncover experiences of health and care, ensuring a wide range of viewpoints is included.

Theme lead: Professor Lucy Yardley

A man working at a desk

Evidence

The evidence team can review published research studies, or others’ reviews where they exist, as well as various types of data, to help build a picture of the evidence that already exists for a topic or project.

Theme lead: Professor Julian Higgins

A GP consultation

Health economics

The health economics teams are experts in looking at the efficiency, effectiveness and outcomes of healthcare to inform decision-making.

Theme lead: Professor Will Hollingworth