Greater Manchester Research Engagement Network

Greater Manchester is proud to be home to diverse communities, and it is important that this is reflected in the health research taking place here. The Greater Manchester Research Engagement Network (GM REN) is creating an inclusive environment that ensures diverse communities to both have a say and take part in health research.

Vocal, along with the Caribbean African Health Network (CAHN), National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration, the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration and the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership are working together on this Network, with support from the Greater Manchester Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Leadership Group and the NIHR North West Regional Research Delivery Network. Collectively, we’re laying the foundations for an inclusive and sustainable local REN that will continue to grow and adapt with the communities it serves.

“By building trusted partnerships and fostering long-term collaborations, REN empowers communities to be at the centre in driving change and improve health outcomes for future generations."

Percy Akudo, Head of Strategy, CAHN

Our Approach:

• Explored barriers and enablers to research partnerships with over 100 VCFSE and research organisations, and Community Connectors (people who are embedded within their communities and can help raise the profile of health research).

• Identified where to focus our engagement to work equitably across GM through mapping of existing community and research partnerships.

• Facilitated workshops with Community Research Champions and Community Connectors to explore what resources, funding, training and support are needed for these important roles.

• Co-developed knowledge and skills exchange with 10GM and Fairer Health for All bringing research and VCFSE sectors together to share approaches to analysing and using data held within communities to place research where there is greatest need.

• Worked to identify opportunities that align with existing GM public health programmes tackling inequalities such as Fairer Health for All.

Impact

• Supported and funded partnership working between community and research organisations. For example, cultural competency training for Community Research Champions, an animation promoting research to older people and new research recruitment material for the D-CYPHR study targeted at 11–24 yr olds. 

• Brought research and VCFSE organisations together for the first time to explore a GM-wide vision for capturing data to monitor diverse and inclusive participation in research and feeding back to communities.

• Co-developed the Respectful Research Charter , a set of guiding principles for community engagement in research and a resource to support equitable partnerships with research teams.

• Established an agreement to sustain GM-REN through collective ownership  with all partners having clear responsibilities:

  • Frameworks and partnerships that demonstrate increased collaboration across different organisations (e.g. VCFSEs, universities, research bodies).

  • Developing a collective approach to complex issues such as standardised guidance on payments to VCFSEs.

  • Creating sustainable funding models that will allow long term and effective use of resources. Making governance of research more accessible and visible to VCFSEs, with all research organisations to incorporate VCFSE representation and lived experience in their decision-making processes.

• Identified priority areas to focus on to drive and embed a culture shift towards sustainable research partnerships including:

• Identified priority areas to focus on to drive and embed a culture shift towards sustainable research partnerships including:

  • Integrating research into VCFSE Accord (formal agreement between VCFSE sector, ICS and the Mayor to support our communities).

  • Supporting ICS to co-create a research strategy.

  • Developing a proposal for good practice for financial compensation of VCFSEs when working together in research.

  • Co-creating a ‘living library’ of skills sharing and learning.

“Building on our activity to date, we can ensure that we continue to increase participation in research to improve the real world effectiveness of treatments and our whole model of care. Research can and must address disparities in outcomes and experience.”

Warren Heppolette, Chief Officer for Strategy, Innovation & Population Health, NHS Greater Manchester