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