NIHR-HEE AHP Research Summit

 

The National Institute for Health and Care Research – Health Education England, Allied Health Professions Research Summit was held on November 24th 2022.

(HEE is now NHS England.)

Aligned with the HEE 2022 AHP Research and Innovation Strategy, the aim of the summit was to drive transformational change in successful research careers equitably across fourteen allied health professions. Active attention was focused on those professions and groups that have traditionally been under-represented in research.

There were 56 people involved in the summit, representing key stakeholders from across health and care and higher education sectors including:

  • Each of the 14 AHP professional bodies,
  • The Community of Allied Health Professions Research,
  • Health Education England,
  • The National Institute of Health and Care Research,
  • The Council of Deans of Health,
  • The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities,
  • The Department of Health and Social Care,
  • NHS Confederation,
  • NHS England,
  • The Chief Allied Health Professions Officer’s Office,
  • The NHS Race and Equality Observatory, and
  • Practitioners and service providers; academics and higher education.

Ahead of the summit, a Briefing Pack (pdf for download below) was sent to all participants to help them prepare to contribute actively to what was to be a busy and productive event. The Briefing Pack summarises key drivers for AHP engagement in research, highlights the benefits to organisations, services / departments and the people accessing services, and provides data regarding disparities in AHPs’ uptake of HEE – NIHR development and funding opportunities. The appendices provide additional information and detail that may assist planning local / regional actions to support increasing AHP research capacity generally, and specifically in under-represented professions and groups.

The final Summit Report provides an overview of the event and the key themes emerging from day. A series of 20 recommendations are made in six related areas:

  • Health and care system drivers and enablers
  • Culture, environment and leadership
  • Equity in research
  • Visibility and accessibility
  • University / service provider partnership and alignment, and
  • Developing a sustainable pipeline.

The Summit Report is below for download.

See the resources from the AHP Research and Innovation Anniversary event.