Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Wessex

Who are we

We are the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) for the Wessex region, which covers Hampshire, Dorset, the Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire. We are part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and are a collaboration of universities, NHS Trusts, Local Councils, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Organisations, and industry partners.

Our Mission

We aim to shape a future where care is more inclusive, community-based, preventative, digitally enabled, and equitable. We want to lead health and care research that makes a real difference for our region, with its unique qualities, and for healthcare nationally.

Our Values

At the heart of our mission are our values: working with our communities to make sure research is fair, inclusive and open to all; sharing what we learn to make a difference; and looking to the future, using technology to keep our work grounded in the modern world.

Our Goals

Our goals within ARC Wessex are to address health disparities and to ensure that research findings apply to and improve outcomes for everyone. In ARC Wessex, we have committed to increasing the diversity of who participates in research; who informs and shapes research; and the diversity of the research workforce, to achieve this.

Research Inclusion will be central to all ARC Wessex activity and guided by the following questions:

• Who is most affected by this health inequality or disparity?
• Who is not currently ‘in the room’?
• What are the current barriers and enablers for involvement and participation and how can these be addressed?
• What conditions can we create to make research (system, processes and opportunities) more inclusive, accessible and trauma informed?
• How can we maximise the influence and impact of people and communities with lived experience expertise in health and social care research?

Who is leading on this work?

• Research Inclusion is led by Professor Mel Hughes (mhughes@bournemouth.ac.uk) with the support of Dr Kate Jupp (kejupp@bournemouth.ac.uk)
• Community Engagement and Inclusion (CEI) is led by Caroline Tiza (caroline.tiza@uhs.nhs.uk)
• Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIEP) is led by Ann marie Hankinson (annemarie.hankinson@uhs.nhs.uk)
• Knowledge, mobilisation and community connector – TBC

We are establishing a Research Inclusion Group comprising of the core RI team, and 10 Research Inclusion Champions (five community RI champions and five internal RI champions) whose role is to work with and across themes to provide equality, diversity and inclusion expertise and to amplify community perspectives.

We have also developed a Research Inclusion Network for those working in equality, diversity and inclusion in research and community roles across Wessex to come together to inform ARC activity so we can develop inclusive, accessible and trauma informed research across our region.

The Research Inclusion Network will work alongside and complement the work of the Theme leads, collaboration hub leads and the PPIEP pool and council; and directly inform the work of the core research inclusion team and research inclusion group to achieve this.

We need you

We work together to tackle real-world health and care challenges and rely on support from three distinct groups to make this happen:

People and the community

• Individuals
• Families
• Community groups
• Community organisations

Health and care industry

• Health and care providers
• Industry groups and organisations
• System leaders
• Policy makers

Research communities

• Researchers
• Research groups
• Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)

Is this you? Getting involved is unique to you and is supported by our Collaboration Hub, who will work with you to make sure your experience is positive and impactful. Together, we can improve health and care research and outcomes in our community.

Visit the NIHR website for more information on getting involved.