Building and Embedding Research Culture in a Local Authority

Luca Owenbridge

Research Officer – NIHR Cornwall Health Determinants Research Collaboration/ Deputy Director Cornwall Research School

The NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Cornwall is part of the NIHR and hosted by Cornwall Council. We are working to improve and embed research culture and capacity in local authority decision making and the services that impact people’s health. Ultimately we want to improve peoples’ experiences of the wider determinants of their health.

What is Research Culture and Why Does it Matter?

Interest in evidence based policy assumes that research improves practice and delivery. This is not a given. A study by Janie Percy-Smith of Leeds Metropolitan University[1] found that there was:

Limited Access and Use: Dissemination of research outputs was often patchy with front-line officers and elected members often lack access to and skills/capacity for using research effectively.

Preference for In-House Research: In-house or commissioned research was often preferred over externally generated research.

Skills and Coordination Gaps: There is a lack of dedicated research staff and specialist skills, leading to inconsistent research practices.

The study suggests local authorities should:

1. Enhance access to research
2. Develop research skills and training
3. Employ dedicated research staff
4. Foster a research positive culture
5. Improve dissemination practices

These are largely in line with the UKRI’s Independent Report into Research Culture Initiatives in the UK. The report suggests we prioritise collective effort engaging all parties in research with a common language, that we curate and share existing, emerging and future practices, integrate research into leadership structures, and encourage the publication of all evaluations (including those with less positive outcomes).[2]

In Cornwall we are working to do just this, collaborating with our partners at the Universities of Exeter, Plymouth and Falmouth. We are unlocking the power of research to change peoples’ experiences of what determines their health, from their education to their housing, food, employment and engagement with technology.

Citizens Research Group – By building a Citizens Research Group, comprising voluntary and community sector organisations and a dedicated work force within the local authority, we hope to surface and engage with the research priorities of Cornwall’s citizens as well as offer research skills and training at a grassroots level.

Journal Club – Providing a monthly space for officersand those working in the community to come together for facilitated / targeted discussion of relevant academic literature. We hope this will widen access to, and build confidence in engaging with, research outputs, whilst also exploring cutting edge insights and how these might impact policy.

Discussion series – Our monthly programme of speakers from academia to community organisations and elsewhere in government, provides not only stimulating content and discussion, but alsoa chance to understand more deeply some of the key issues facing local government with expert minds. It improves the visibility and relevance to research for officers’ day-to-day activities and contributes to a research positive culture.

Dissemination / Evidence reviews – A key challenge has been understanding the different ways that teams store, disseminate and engage with research and standardising this will be central for our success.

Developing a rolling and up-to-date priority list for Cornwall Council which can be shared with researchers in the regions’ Universities will help strengthen the feedback between policy, research and practice.

In the immediate term, Research Support Officers have been working to provide timely, tangible support to officers with evidence reviews and evaluation support packages.

Training pathways – Finally making it clear that research is integral to improved services and illuminating the often murky routes to support, formal training and career pathways will be crucial to broadening access and enabling participation from the people we need to reach.

Final Thought

The HDRC journey is just beginning in Cornwall and the successes already achieved as well as challenges identified will no doubt continue. Research culture and capacity, done right and embedded sustainably in local authorities will undoubtedly impact our ability to respond to the myriad challenges of the future across all aspects of our service.

The NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Cornwall is part of the NIHR and hosted by Cornwall Council. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

If you would like to find out more about this project or get involved, please get in touch at HDRC@cornwall.gov.uk

[1] Percy-Smith, J., Sanderson, I. and Dowson, L. (2000) Enhancing the Research Capacity of Local Government. London: Local Government Association and LARIA

[2] Shift Insight, UK Reproducibility Network & Vitae. Research Culture Initiatives in the UK, 2024, Research culture initiatives in the UK – UKRI

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