Research in the Department of Health Sciences
The Department of Health Sciences is a large, multi-disciplinary and multi-professional department with over 190 active researchers and clinical academics. Work areas include primary and secondary care, public health, mental health and social care. Supported by a highly experienced administration team, the Department is a premier provider of applied health research. Our six core research groups are Cancer Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Health, Health Services and Policy, Mental Health and Addictions, Public Health and Society, and York Trials Unit and Statistics which has been leading research for over 21 years from within our Department. The Nursing and Midwifery team also undertake research, which contributes to the quality and effectiveness of nursing and midwifery care.
Our mission is to build on our established research excellence and embed a world changing culture by:
- Supporting intellectual research innovation in health outcomes, service delivery and policy underpinned by economic analyses all carried out with the highest integrity and research governance.
- Working in multidisciplinary teams, including patients and the public, using appropriate research methods, to undertake meaningful and rigorous research.
- Ensuring the findings of our research reach those who need to know, and that the planned impacts benefit patients, the public and society.
The Department’s annual research income exceeds £12m per year with a mixed portfolio of funders including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), charities such as the Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome, and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and industry. We continue to support research careers through hosting doctoral, post-doctoral, early and senior career and professorial fellowships.
As part of a University for public good, our work spans the University’s three research themes: Risk, Evidence and Decision Making, Justice and Equality, and Health and Wellbeing. The latter is a unifying theme supporting a strong collaboration between Health Sciences, Hull York Medical School, the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and the Centre for Health Economics. Our ability to attract funding and deliver quality research and impact is enhanced through strong NHS and Social Care partnerships.
The Department's research is highly rated and key to this success is our research leadership and prowess of our contract researchers. The Department supports career development through the Contract Researchers Forum, and involvement of researchers in activities to promote good research practice through the Research Governance Committee, Patient and Public Involvement Forum and the Research Impact Group.
Professor Catherine Hewitt
Deputy Head of Department (Research)
Contract Research Forum
The Contract Research Forum in the Department of Health Sciences aims to bring together contract researchers and PhD students to provide training and development opportunities which will help support and enhance the role of researchers within the Department. The committee is made up of two co-chairs and two deputy co-chairs who take responsibility for networking and training events. The committee meets on a quarterly basis. For more information visit the Contract Researchers Forum website.
Patient and Public Involvement
The Department of Health Sciences has a committee to advise on the development and coordination of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). The work associated with PPI has evolved and we have recently combined efforts with the Centre for Health Economics (CHE), Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and the Hull York Medical School (HYMS) to create a health PPI group that is also aligned with York NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust PPI group. Prof Patrick Doherty (Health Sciences) and Prof Rowena Jacobs (CHE) act as co-leads for this initiative. A shared web page is being developed to enable researchers to access more support across the many research and clinical areas.
