Sandwell’s Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) is a new council initiative that aims to improve how we use research and evidence to plan and deliver our services. This will help to ensure that our services are informed by evidence of what works, are good value for money, and reflect the needs of local residents.
HDRC Sandwell’s culture and evidence-informed practice workstream are developing how research can be utilised to improve service design and delivery. We are delivering information sessions with the aim of increasing the use of evidence being used in practice. These will include presentations on research that has been undertaken, and discussions on how that research could be potentially used in service design, delivery and in current job roles.
Barriers Encountered in the Underserved Wards of East and West Birmingham
20th November 2025, 11am-12pm
Health services in Birmingham are not equally available, especially in its poorest areas. A project by Aston University, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust, and Citizens UK explored these health gaps in East and West Birmingham. They used a method called “health listening” to hear directly from local people at five events. Residents said the biggest problems were hard-to-reach GPs, language barriers, poor care continuity, and lack of services for children. A community event helped create solutions, leading to five new projects to improve health locally. The presentation ends with advice for health providers and shows how listening can lead to real change
