Northumbria researchers lead discussions at NIHR event on multiple and complex needs

Research around the varied challenges people with multiple and complex needs within marginalised communities face has been shared by Northumbria University academics.

A multidisciplinary team from the University attended an event led bythe National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria’s Inequalities and Marginalised Communities theme, which focused on intersectionality within marginalised communities.

The group aims to support the health and social care system to reduced health inequalities within the region, as well as nationally.

Attendees discussed how an individual’s multiple and complex needs can increase the challenges they face and limit their access to the vital services they need for support.

Sophie Mitchell, Assistant Professor in Criminology and Sociology, showcased her work on Mothers, Prison and Family Trauma, while William McGovern, Associate Professor of Marginalised Communities discussed Understanding and Responding to SelfStigma (and other forms) in Health and Social Care Settings.

Joanne Gray, Professor of Health Economics and Peter van der Graaf, Associate Professor in Public Health, shared their work on the Evaluation of Social Navigators’Service in South Tyneside: Improving the financial, health and social wellbeingof financially excluded individuals and their dependents.

Research Fellows Tom Astley and Alex Kirton, presented on the See Me North project which aims to improve health reduce inequalities for people experiencing homelessness and grow the care system to include creative health approaches while Phil Hodgson, Lecturer in Health Research, discussed the Healthy Homes Evaluation which evaluated the Healthy Homes service in South Tyneside.

The event was co-chaired by Professor Monique Lhussier, Director of the Centre for Health and Social Equity at Northumbria University, who is also the Deputy Lead for the NIHR ARC NENC Inequalities and Marginalised Communities research theme. She was joined by Tom Hall, Director of Public Health at South Tyneside Council.

Professor Lhussier said: “The volume of people with multiple and complex needs is growing, while our services and systems have become hyper-specialised meaning often these people are falling between the gaps in services and ultimately not receiving the help they need.

“This is particularly true of those people within marginalised communities and ultimately it means we’re relying on reactive, more costly services to intervene when individuals reach crisis point.

“We really need to be thinking about how we can develop and deliver a people centric approach that helps individuals tackle multiple challenges for better outcomes.

“By bringing together people from different disciplines and those from the communities we serve, or with lived experience of the issues we’re discussing, we can go a long way to finding solutions to the common themes we’re seeing and to developing recommendations around service reform and spending.”

The event also saw academics from Newcastle University present their perspectives, as well as an open discussion around benefits of preventative measures vs crisis intervention.

Northumbria University is dedicated to reducing health and social inequalities, contributing to the regional and national workforce and improving social, economic and health outcomes for the most marginalised in society.

Through its new Centre for Health and Social Equity, Northumbria researchers will be delivering world-leading health and social equity research and creating innovative, evidence-based policies and data-driven solutions to bring impactful change across the region, the UK and globally. For more information about CHASE please visit the website.

For more information about the Inequalities and Marginalised Communities theme within NIHR ARC NENC please visit their website.

The slides from the event can also be downloaded by visiting the NIHR ARC NENC events page.