University of York and Bradford Health Determinants Research Collaboration policy hub

The University of York and Bradford Council have partnered in the Bradford Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC), funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). One of 13 HDRCs across the UK, the collaboration aims to promote evidence-informed policy to improve wider determinants of health and reduce health inequalities.

Within the HDRC, we have jointly set up a Policy Hub, involving staff from the University's Department of Health Sciences, The York Policy Engine and colleagues at the Council.

The Policy Hub follows an embedded research approach to developing evidence-based (informed) policy: creating opportunities for close working between academics and policy colleagues, including rapid reviews of academic and community evidence, support with evaluations, and developing structures for University of York staff to support the Council with advice, information and guidance.

The hub focuses on three core areas:

Inclusive services
Creating an inclusive economy
Fair transition to net zero

Examples of current and past embedded Policy Hub projects include:

An evidence review for Bradford 2025 City of Culture on connections between cultural activities and nature, and their impacts wellbeing, determinants of health and inequality
A review on how to improve support for minoritised unpaid carers, working with the adult health and social care commissioning team
A review to define what a public health prevention approach to harmful drug and alcohol use is, working with the Public Health team and new Combatting Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
Qualitative research and review work on how different types of supported housing work, for whom, and with what effects on health and wellbeing
Analysis of poverty proofing school audits to inform school-based practices/toolkit development
Work to identify ways in which area-based regeneration can be carried out to reduce inequality and health inequality

Meet the team

Current HDRC projects

Net-Zero

University of York, as part of our collaborative Bradford Health Determinants Research Collaboration Evidence into Policy and Practice Hub, worked with Bradford Council's Sustainability Service to gather co-produced community evidence on climate action to influence their newly approved Climate Action Plan. Throughout the process, the University of York team worked with two community organisations (Sutton Centre, Anchor Project) and six community researchers, to co-design and deliver a series of community workshops and develop co-produced climate manifestos with local residents who took part in the process. The manifestos highlight the areas of life that residents felt are particularly important to focus climate action on.

The work has led to further research and engagement work with Bradford Council, to support the implementation of the Bradford Climate Action Plan. This includes a project to explore co-produced climate animations and piloting of Climate Fresk and Biodiversity Collage training as a climate engagement tool.

Policy impacts have included the expansion of Bradford's CAP to include community voice more inclusively and a citation in The Seventh Carbon Budget

Other outputs

Climate Action documents/zines

York Research behind Council’s Climate Action Plan

Designing out inequality blog

Co-producing Bradford’s Just Transition: Community Climate Evidence

Southern Gateway

The Southern Gateway – a 26ha regeneration site located to the south of Bradford city centre – has a planned £4.5 billion in new transport investment, sustainable homes, new businesses, new green spaces and community facilities. Researchers from the University of York-Bradford HDRC and Healthy Urban Places (Born in Bradford) are engaged in a generational opportunity that supports regional and national policymakers in creating a public health-informed Theory of Change on inclusive and sustainable approaches to regeneration. Embedding relevant evidence to ensure the Southern Gateway can reduce social and health inequalities, lessen environmental degradation and build a sustainable economy for Bradford residents.

Bradford Council HDRC Information

The vision for this project is for Bradford Council to be a local authority leader in generating and using research to support decision making and democratic accountability. The HDRC will transform the council's understanding of what works best for who so that they make better and more cost-effective decisions, improve services and improve the health of all Bradford District's citizens and communities.

For more information on the HDRC, including news, research, and resources, visit the Bradford HDRC website and NIHR website.

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