Collaborations

Healthcare Practice and Rehabilitation research at the University of Brighton has a strong tradition of cross-disciplinary collaborative research at both a national and international level.

We create partnerships with academic institutions, industry and professional bodies; bringing together experts to share specialist knowledge. This co-operation enables us to address the challenges facing us in the diverse aspects of health.

Research Design Service South East

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds the Research Design Service (RDS) to provide research design and methodological support to health and social care researchers across England to develop grant applications for the NIHR and other national peer-reviewed funding programmes. Advice is confidential and free of charge.

The Research Design Service South East is a collaboration between the University of Brighton, University of Kent and the University of Surrey. Covering the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex, advice and support is available through research clinics, face-to-face meetings and by telephone and email. RDS advises on all aspects of grant application preparation, including:

formulating research questions
building an appropriate research team
involving patients and the public
designing a study
appropriate methodologies
identifying suitable funding sources
regulatory issues.

The Research Design Service South East website provides further information including eligibility criteria, case studies and contact details for advisers.

The Academic Resilience Approach

A successful collaboration by Professor Angie Hart with mental health experts Young Minds and Cupp Community Fellow Lisa Williams has led to the creation of The Academic Resilience Approach. This approach provides support both strategically and through detailed practice in schools using evidence-based approaches and interventions.

The approach aims to support school communities and encourages a culture which promotes academic resilience at every opportunity. Practice guidelines, classroom resources and film clips are all part of the package. Visit the Young Minds website to view the range of inspirational materials and free, practical resources.

Physio First

Physio First is the UK national organisation for Private Physiotherapy Practitioners and standardised data collection. In the School of Health Sciences we have a nine-year history of collaboration with Physio First to strengthen the quality of clinical and practice-based data collection in private physiotherapy practices in the United Kingdom. Using this important data we have identified robust research questions that need to be addressed which has led to an increase in the research culture within private practice.

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)

Professor Ann Moore has been seconded to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy as a research lead and Director of the newly formed Council for Allied Health Professions Research (CAHPR). The Council is a UK-wide body which has developed from the National Physiotherapy Research Network formed in 2004 and the Allied Health Professions Research Network which was formed in 2012; both these organisations were initiated by Professor Ann Moore in collaboration with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy which was the key funder for these organisations, and collaborations also occurred with Kings College London, Southampton University and Keele University over the 10-year period.

The CAHPRN consists of a Strategy and Governance Committee, an Allied Health Professions Professoriate group and an Allied Health Professions research hub leaders forum of 23 members and 159 facilitators who are supporting and developing research capability and capacity within the Allied Health Professions across the UK.

Neater Solutions

Dr Anne Mandy has been working in collaboration with Neater Solutions since 2007. The Neater Uni-wheelchair development continues to attract national and international interest and significant external funding. The work has resulted in the advancement of technology and its application to clinical practice. Through this collaboration, a relationship has been established with Langhoej Denmark.

In addition to this, Dr Mandy is currently working with the Head of Physiotherapy at ICP and Sunrise Medical Germany reviewing wheelchair provision.

Working together to address HIV and sexual health

The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is a national HIV and sexual health charity with whom staff in the Centre for Health Research (CHR) have collaborated with since 2007 in a range of local, European, and international research projects. This fruitful collaboration has led us to support the needs of LGBTU young people across Sussex, introduce new standards for gay businesses across seven European countries, as well as survey the HIV/STI status, health needs and risk-behaviours of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Brighton. Together this research collaboration has allowed us to understand better the health promotion needs of local communities in order to facilitate the development of more tailored and effective HIV prevention and health promotion initiatives.

Patient deterioration management

We work closely with Monash University as a key partner in the simulation research. This has led to the generation of an education package to support the recognition of patient deterioration to be found at Patient deterioration management (FIRST2ACT) and the key link at Monash is Associate Professor Simon Cooper.

Also have we made a statement about working closely with our partner health care providers and list all the trusts such as Sussex Partnership Trust, The Brighton and Sussex Hospitals Trust, and the Queen Victoria Hospital in particular to work on areas of engagement in research, involvement in research and collaborative delivery of research projects developed with patients and to improve patient outcomes.