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About us At the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Wessex, we conduct applied health research with our partners and others in the health and care sector, alongside patients and members of the public. Applied health research aims to address the immediate issues facing the health and social care system. We also help bring research evidence into practice and provide training for the local workforce. NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) support applied health and care research that responds to, and meets, the needs of local populations and local health and care systems. The NIHR ARC Wessex is one of 15 ARCs across England, part of a £135 million investment by the NIHR to improve the health and care of patients and the public. Before 1 October 2019 we were known as NIHR CLAHRC Wessex . The ARC Wessex programme of research addresses four areas related to the health and social care needs of our community. We are hosted by the School of Health Sciences at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. NIHR ARC Wessex is acting as the national lead on research for Ageing, dementia and Frailty. Want to get in touch? - jump to our contact details below About us Our mission to improve outcomes for patients and public; improve quality, delivery and efficiency of health and care services; increase the sustainability of health and care systems locally and nationally. National Institute for Health and Care Research Our mission Our collaboration Our collaboration Each NIHR ARC is made up of local providers of NHS services, local providers of care services, NHS commissioners, local authorities, universities, private companies and charities. These collaborations work together to conduct high quality, generalisable, applied health and care research that addresses the specific health or care issues in their region. NIHR ARCs act to increase the rate at which research findings are implemented into practice. The 15 ARCs work collaboratively to address national research priorities, with individual ARCs providing national leadership in their areas of expertise. Our partners At NIHR ARC Wessex we are a collaboration of organisations working together to carry out the most relevant and best quality health and care research with real-life impact. Read more About NIHR The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Read more Contact Southampton Science Park, Innovation Centre, 2 Venture Road, Chilworth, Southampton SO16 7NP 023 8059 7983 arcwessex@soton.ac.uk First Name Last Name Email Message Thanks for getting in touch Send

Get Involved We value all the help and support we get from our public contributors. Your input is important to us and helps us to design better research, address the health and care issues that matter in our communities and provide valuable support to our research teams. You can get involved with as little or as much as you would like either as a member of the public, a patient or carer for someone, or maybe you are supported in social care (sometimes called being a service user) The NHS, Universities and Councils often use jargon and short-hand as a way of describing things. Having people with different experience can help break down barriers in language. Working with us you will have all the support and encouragement you need in what can sometimes feel like an unfamiliar environment. We also cover costs of your time in many cases so that you are able to take part. If you would like to know more please get in touch with us at PublicInvolvement@uhs.nhs.uk or call us on 023 8120 4989. Or you can fill out the form below to let us know what particular things you're interested in. Introduction Frequently asked questions ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Frequently askd questions Our commitments and strategy Our new Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement team is growing and adapting to the needs of our community. As a result we are in the process of updating and redesigning our strat egy and summary documents listed below. Our commitments still stand as listed: We will use a variety of ways to seek the views and insights of patients and the public, and work to ensure that the diversity of people giving their views reflects the diversity of the local population. We will provide information that is clear, jargon free and accessible. We will ensure people are adequately supported in their involvement role. We will make sure there are no financial implications for people’s involvement. We will involve people in a way that is open, honest and meaningful, being clear about what decisions they can and cannot influence. We will act on the views we have sought, and feedback to those who gave them on what we did, working in partnership with patients and the public to improve the quality and relevance of our research. Public and Patient Involvement and Engage ment (PPI/E) strategy Download PPI/E Strategy 2021-2024 summary report Download PPI/E Strategy 2021 - 2024 full report PPI resources Public and Patient Involvement resources Learn more about Public and Patient Involvement Learn more about Public and Patient Invo... Play Video Play Video 00:51 Public and patient support in research Hazel and Phillip have just been taking part in the research design workshop looking at how people manage with a long term illness

42074b03-6b8a-4374-ab92-19ec23c313f3 ADOPTED PROJECT: Happier Feet ADOPTED PROJECT: Happier Feet Disrupting the vicious cycle of healthcare decline in Diabetic Foot Ulceration through active prevention: The future of self-managed care Chief Investigator: Dr Andrew Weightman – University of Manchester Project Team Members: Dr Katherine Bradbury – University of Southampton, Professor Helen Dawes – University of Exeter, Mr Andrew Eccles – University of Strathclyde, Dr Safak Dogan – Loughborough University, Dr Glen Cooper – University of Manchester, Professor Frank Bowling – University of Manchester, Dr Xiyu Shi, Loughborough University, Professor Ahmeet Kondoz– Loughborough University Organisations Involved: Diabetes UK Background: There is a significant unmet clinical need for an adaptable, acceptable and adoptable technology to identify and prevent diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) formation, to enable self-management and timely clinical intervention to improve outcomes and reduce the economic burden of healthcare provision. Our primary purpose is to develop and implement an adaptable, acceptable, and cost- effective smart sensing insole technology which can detect when a DFU is likely to occur and can adapt plantar tissue loading to prevent formation, thus enabling self-management. This project proposes to build and expand on current smart insole technologies for the detection of DFUs, utilising a sensor fusion approach for their identification. A smart insole with integrated pressure (normal, shear), temperature, gait (IMU) and mechanomyography (acoustic) sensors will identify early indicators of ulceration and when movement is appropriate/inappropriate. The smart insole will respond to these inputs and adjust the foot (and gait), through an array of artificial muscles, to support better (safe/ comfortable) movement. This project aims to co-develop this new smart sensing insole with people living with diabetic foot ulcers. We hope to establish: What patients think of the idea of a smart sensing insole for early detection of DFUs which includes the provision to adjust the foot to reduce pressure on areas of likely ulceration. A prototype insole and optimised this with patient feedback. Early safety testing of this device. Security protocols to enable secure storage and sharing of data from this insole (e.g., between patient and clinicians). Publications Journal of Participatory Medicine - Developing a Smart Sensing Sock to Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Qualitative Focus Group and Interview Study In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes | Scientific Reports

Vikki Tweedy is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Dementia/Frailty) Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - and is about to begin a PhD at Bournemouth University < Back Caring for the person with dementia in hospital Veterans and Dementia - why routines can matter Vikki Tweedy is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Dementia/Frailty) Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - and is about to begin a PhD at Bournemouth University Dementia is a progressive condition affecting cognition, memory, and behaviour, with significant implications for individuals, families, and healthcare providers. Patients with dementia are highly vulnerable in hospital environments due to unfamiliar surroundings, disrupted routines, and communication difficulties. This can lead to increased anxiety, agitation, and a decline in physical and cognitive function. The traditional hospital model, which prioritises medical interventions over psychological and emotional well-being, often fails to meet their holistic needs. Therapeutic engagement involves structured, person-centred interactions that promote communication, emotional well-being, and cognitive stimulation. Rather than focusing solely on physical care, it aims to build trust, reduce distress, and enhance the overall hospital experience. While medical management is essential, therapeutic engagement and meaningful activity play a crucial role in improving patient well-being and hospital experience and here Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust the Dementia team have taken a proactive approach to try to address the personalised need for activity. Meaningful activity refers to engagement that holds personal significance to an individual. For people with dementia, maintaining a sense of routine and purpose through tailored activities can significantly enhance well-being. Through engagement with veterans with dementia in acute hospital setting, I have observed first hand how their military backgrounds influence their hospital experiences, responses to stress, and engagement with care teams. Meaningful activity is particularly relevant for veterans with dementia, whose unique life experiences, military backgrounds, and potential trauma histories require a tailored approach to care. Understanding their needs and providing structured engagement can help mitigate distress, improve outcomes, and foster a sense of purpose during hospitalisation. For veterans with dementia, the challenge of the hospital environment can be further compounded by their past experiences. Military training emphasises structure, discipline, and resilience, which may shape how veterans respond to hospitalisation. Additionally, some veterans may have underlying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other service-related mental health conditions that can influence their reactions to stress, noise, and certain interactions. Without appropriate engagement strategies, they may experience heightened distress, mistrust, or withdrawal. Having completed an NIHR internship (research initiation award), this gave me confidence and knowledge to want to pursue a clinical academic pathway and my work in this area has now led me to progress a proposal for a PhD, focusing on the lived experience of veterans with dementia in the acute hospital setting, further highlighting the importance of personalised, meaningful interventions in acute care settings. It is hoped that this research will contribute to improving care pathways for veterans with dementia, ensuring they receive hospital care that recognises and respects their unique needs. Therapeutic engagement and meaningful activity are essential components of high-quality dementia care in NHS acute hospitals. For veterans with dementia, recognising and integrating military-specific approaches can further enhance their hospital experience, reduce distress, and promote better outcomes. Embedding these principles into routine practice requires staff training, investment in resources, and collaboration with military support organisations. Here at Dorset County Hospital we have also been extremely fortunate to have been supported by the Royal British Legion who have provided us with some care packages to give to veterans in the hospital. The giving of the care packages by the dementia team was an excellent way to engage with patients about their military history but also to give the recognition to those who have served. Previous Next

0be5d40d-fcbc-4b27-971a-75e1967ce33d COMPLETED: Development of a core outcome set for nurse wellbeing: a Delphi study Lead applicant: Dr Gemma Simons Co-applicants: Prof Jane Ball , Prof David Baldwin , Dr Emma Wadey, Dr Catherine Smith Participant Information Sheet : Download here Project Summary: Read project summary document (short summary) Read project summary document (long summary) Background : Little attention has been paid to the work lives and wellbeing of the nursing workforce, despite it being a priority area. Currently, there is no consensus on what wellbeing is or how it should be measured. An evidence-based, positive way of measuring wellbeing is through a Core Outcome Set. What is a Core Outcome Set? Outcomes are used to measure whether a strategy, intervention or action has had the required result. There are often multiple outcomes and ways of measuring them, which makes comparison difficult. A Core Outcome Set is an agreed, or consensus, set of outcomes and measurement tools that, when used, provide consistent and comprehensive focus as everyone is measuring and reporting the same outcomes in the same way. Aim: This project aims to develop a Core Outcome Set for Nurse Wellbeing. Objectives: Produce a list of potential wellbeing outcomes and help text to describe them in that are clear and meaningful for nurses [PPI panel] Develop a consensus between nurses and nurse wellbeing experts on a core outcome set for nurse wellbeing [Delphi Study] Identify and assess for quality measurement instruments for the core outcome set for nurse wellbeing identified by the Delphi study [Critical Literature Review] Select measurement tools for the identified core outcome set and agree on a final Core Outcome Set for Nurse Wellbeing [PPI panel and Study Advisory Group]. Implications and Impact: A Core Outcome Set for Nurse Wellbeing developed by nursing and nurse wellbeing experts will provide researchers and those undertaking governance with evidence-based and meaningful tools with which to evaluate wellbeing interventions. This study is registered on the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET Initiative) database https://www.comet-initiative.org/Studies/Details/2433 Publiations The Mental Health of Medical Students: Supporting Wellbeing in Medical Education | Oxford Academic ( oup.com ) https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21177

Professor Ruth Bartlett - National lead for DEM-COMM, post-doctoral training scheme for applied dementia researchers across the ARCs < Back Alzheimer's Europe Conference DEM-COMM researchers in Geneva Professor Ruth Bartlett - National lead for DEM-COMM, post-doctoral training scheme for applied dementia researchers across the ARCs DEM-COMM was out in force at the 34th Alzheimer’s Europe conference in Geneva. We weren’t all wearing DEM-COMM emblazoned bobble hats (next time, maybe?) but there were twenty of us, all presenting work, supporting each other, and generally making the most of being at this important annual event. Our headline act was Dr Esther Loseto-Gerritzen from the University of Nottingham, ARC East Midlands. Esther gave her first plenary talk: ‘Online peer support for people with young onset dementia’ in the largest auditorium I’ve ever been in; it was like the United Nations (see photo below). So very well done to Esther. We’re all proud of you and look forward to supporting you in your new role as Junior Board member and representative of the INTERDEM Academy . Other DEM-COMM fellows shared their work in a parallel session or one of the quick oral presentations (5 minutes), or like me, presented a poster. Some people gave two or three presentations - extra brownie points to you guys. Here’s a list of all works in the order they were presented at the conference, followed by a collage of photos of each person giving their talk. Oral presentations Hannah Wheat ‘Findings of the realist mixed methods, longitudinal evaluation of the D-PACT (dementia personalised care team), primary care based, post-diagnostic, dementia care model’. Amirah Akhtar ‘Depression and dementia risk: exploring the impact of cognitive dysfunction during recurrent depression in middle-aged British South Asians: A qualitative study. Orri McDermott ‘Co-working with local Caribbean communities to raise awareness and normalise talking about dementia’. Neil Chadborn ‘Yaad participatory project: exploring memories with South Asian Communities to understand the context of family of care for people with dementia’. Marie Poole ‘Understanding post-diagnostic dementia support through football organisations to provide person-centred, culturally appropriate support for underserved communities’. James Faraday ‘Better mealtimes for people living with dementia: working with care homes to share good practice’. Rasa Mikelyte ‘Inclusion from the start: co-development and application of a priority setting method for dementia care research’. Emma Elliot ‘Physical activity interventions for hospitalised patients with dementia: systematic review’. Orri McDermott ‘Lived experience of advance care planning and shared decision making’. Rasa Mikelyte ‘Co-designing an easy-read measure of care-related quality of life: reflections on involving people living with dementia and their supporters’. Megan Rose Readman ‘Understanding the experience of hearing loss for people living with lewy body or parkinson’s disease dementia. Emmanuel S. Nwofe ‘DEM-SAFE: co-designing information campaigns to promote brain health and reduce dementia risk in south Asian and African Caribbean communities in the UK’. Amirah Akhtar ‘DEM-SAFE: Living well with dementia for south Asian and African Caribbean communities in the UK’. Posters Jiamin Du ‘Prevalence and correlates of neuro-psychiatric symptoms in individuals referred to a memory clinic, and the distress experienced by their caregivers’. Hannah Wheat ‘Triadic communication during dementia care: a conversation analytical study. Megan Polden ‘Music Make Us! The impact of singing and dancing interventions on people living with dementia’. Tamara Backhouse ‘How can we improve personal care assistance for people living with dementia to reduce refusals of care? A realist synthesis Juanita Hoe ‘Risk Assessment in people living with dementia: a systematic review’. Esther Loseto-Gerritzen ‘Online peer support for people living with dementia: a scoping review’. Hannah Wheat ‘Supporting dementia support workers to adapt to their role within a primary care setting: what works, for whom and in what circumstances’. Ruth Bartlett ‘Building capacity in applied dementia research’. Chris Poyner ‘Personalising domiciliary dementia care via co-designed computational matching: a study protocol’. Ilianna Lourida ‘Data-driven discovery of associations between prescribed medication and dementia risk: a systematic review’. Emmanuel S. Nwofe ‘Dementia risk factors and brain health: a scoping review of interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness among minority ethnic populations in OECD countries’. Thanks to Sarah Smith for darting around the venue to take these shots, great job! Previous Next

a7ea3c51-ca08-45ba-a500-e478bca6eb43 COMPLETED: Motivating and sustaining engagement of young people in improving their health and that of their communities Prinicpal Investigator: Professor Mary Barker Team: Kathryn Woods-Townsend, University of Southampton, James Toop, Bite Back 2030, Matthew Ryan, University of Southampton, Joanna Sofaer, University of Southampton, Pathik Pathak, University of Southampton Start Date: 1 April 2023 End Date: 30 September 2024 Background Calls by young people for increased involvement in decisions about their health and futures are echoed by WHO and UNICEF. These reflect threats to their health from inequalities and climate change, exacerbated by COVID-19. To be “architects of their own future” and have decision-making power, young people need training and opportunities to build confidence, and structures and processes that allow them to be involved in decision making. Aims We aim to explore how best to engage and maintain engagement of young people in these activities with a view to improving their health and well-being and that of their communities Our specific objectives are to: develop and test a training course for young people in skills to support participatory action research into health and well-being; test the effectiveness of arts-based approaches in engaging young people in health improvement; understand how to create a reliable, scalable and sustainable model for effective youth activism; evaluate democratic innovations to engage young people in decision making processes to influence health policy. What did we find out? Through our project we found that young people can meaningfully participate in decision making on topics that are important to them. During the year young people were engaged in two separate ways: Firstly, BiteBack 2030’s youth advocacy programme was analysed and essential components of its success extracted. Those factors included establishing open two-way channels for communication, Working to create an environment where young people’s and staff views are equally valued, Supporting staff to develop excellent facilitation skills, Investing in young people’s skills, Campaigning on issues that young people feel are important and current and Reviewing success and challenges of each campaigns and adapt activities in response. Secondly, young people were successfully trained in research skills, advocacy and democracy during a 12-week Young Researcher Training Programme. The training programme allowed young people to investigate a health topic that was important to them and collect data from their peers and community. Their projects ranged from looking at exam stress, vaping, benefits of youth participation, to women’s health issues, failures in the PSHE curriculum and vaccine hesitancy. The results from their research went towards creating a set of health recommendations that young people felt should be prioritised for the improved health and wellbeing of young people in Southampton. A Youth Jury was held in July 2024 where the recommendations were refined based on collaboration with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Partnership. The 12 amended recommendations formed the basis of a manifesto for health which included the following points to be addressed by decision makers: 1.Expand Extra-Curricular Wellness Activities. 2. Improve our methods of handling young people’s mental health by creating accessible services. 3. Respond to Vaping Proactively. 4. Deliver a comprehensive digital health platform for young people. 5.Review the PSHE Curriculum. 6. Encourage the mixed teaching of Sexual and Reproductive Education (SRE) . 7. Cultural & Religious Sensitivity . 8. Information to Parents. 9.Deliver Youth Engagement. 10. Diversify and Expand Work Experience and Financial Support for Prospective Professionals. 11. Establish Panels to Honestly Inform Young People about NHS Careers. 12. Produce Youth- Led Marketing. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the training programme, Youth Jury and Assembly at engaging young people in decision making and the resultant responses from decision makers is still ongoing. Final results will be available from spring 2025. You can see Young People talking about their recommendations here What did we do with this Knowledge? • The recommendations created by the young people within the manifesto for health were presented to the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) and wider stakeholders in health and wellbeing at the Hampshire and IoW ICP Youth Assembly on 13th November 2024. An action plan was drawn up in collaboration with decision makers to implement the recommendations in practice. These recommendations will go towards informing the delivery of health services for young people In Hampshire and the IoW. • The criteria for a successful youth advocacy/ activism programme provide BiteBack with evidence-based conclusions that they can use to replicate and grow the success of their programmes. The links between youth health and wellbeing and participation in activism programmes was highlighted The findings from this investigation also went towards informing how we run the Young Researcher Training Programme to make sure young people are getting the most out of the experience for their health, wellbeing and future quality of life. See the BiteBack poster image BiteBack poster[83] .png Download PNG • 1.08MB BiteBack visual report (PDF What Next? The learning from this project will go towards informing how future YRTP sessions will be structured and run. For example, the advocacy and links to decision making in this project will be replicated in the next iteration. The next iteration of YRTP begins in December 2025, with a focus on developing a Southampton Youth Voices service. The learnings from BiteBack’s youth activism programme will aid other youth organisations to successfully engage young people in improving their health. This work adds to the growing body of research around the importance of youth participation and its long-term health and wellbeing benefits. Talitha McCleery, 17, took part in the programme and said: "Young people want to and deserve to be, involved in decisions that impact their health and futures. We believe that the people who sit in positions of power must prioritise consulting with young people if they want their decisions to have real change and make a positive impact." Libby Tickner, 17, who also took part, added: "We must all work together - school boards, local government, local charities and national non-governmental organisations - to ensure no opportunity is left wasted." Source: Hampshire youth assembly shares health and wellbeing ideas | Daily Echo

87b19b27-d8c8-4f33-9da0-73ea106dac3c COMPLETED: Mental health Burden of Increased Living costs: Local Support (My BILLS) Principal investigators: Dr. Dianna Smith, Associate Professor, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton and Dr Thomas Richardson, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Southampton. Co-investigator: Prof Nisreen Alwan, Associate Professor in Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Southampton. Partners: Southern Health Foundation NHS trust, iTalk (Hampshire IAPT), Talking Change (Portsmouth IAPT Solent NHS Trust), Southampton Citizens Advice Bureau, Portsmouth Citizens Advice Bureau, Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council. Starts: 01/01/2023 Ends: 30/09/2024 Background: Poverty can have a significant impact on health. There is lots of research which suggests that being in debt or struggling to pay the bills can lead to poor mental health such as problems with depression and anxiety. There is currently a cost-of-living crisis with record inflation and energy bills. Aim: This research will analyse the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the mental health of the adults in Hampshire. It will also identify the best pathways for support for people struggling with both mental health and financial problems. Design & Methods: There will be several methods used here. We will interview staff at local financial advice and NHS mental health services for their views. We will use existing data from the NHS and other services about demand for services and if this has changed over recent months with the cost-of-living crisis. We will also interview patients with lived experience about their views. We will conduct new questionnaire-based survey to try to look at the impact of financial problems on mental health over time. Finally, we will look at what the existing research tells us about how the relationship between financial problems and mental health, and if this impacts certain groups of people more strongly than others. Patient & Public Involvement: We will involve those with lived experience and members of the public in the design of our research. They will also form part of a steering group to oversee our work. Finally, they will help us to develop recommendations about local support and how to share the outcomes of our research. Dissemination: We will write up our findings in academic journals and present them at conferences. We will present our finding to the public at an open free event. We will also have a free report summarising the findings, and flyers and videos summarising the research in an accessible way. What did we find out? We found that people who were more worried about the cost of living had worse symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, these worries did not cause their symptoms to get better or worse over time. Interviews with staff and service users showed that financial stress caused feelings of hopelessness and frustration. Many people found it harder to get the health care they needed because of money problems. The cost-of-living crisis also increased pressure on the NHS and its staff. Those who are having therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder don’t benefit as much if they live in a deprived neighborhood. • An analysis of 86,000 NHS Talking Therapies referrals from 2021 to 2023 is ongoing. What did we do with this Knowledge? Qualitative interviews have given practical suggestions to improve the link between financial and money advice support locally. • Quantitative analysis is ongoing and will be published soon. What are we doing next? Conference presentations 1 Paper published 3 papers under review. Working on submitting several other papers from the findings for publication. Feeding back results to stakeholders. Publications Neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation associated with poorer psychological therapy outcomes for PTSD: an audit of a single NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) service | the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist | Cambridge Core

056e2237-0346-49fe-b123-4999c149156a Comparative Effectiveness of Methylphenidate vs. Second‑ and Third‑Line Medications for Children with Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Chief Investigator: Professor Samuele Cortese, NIHR Research Professor, University of Southampton Co-Investigator: Miguel Garcia Argibay, Senior Research Fellow, University of Southampton Team: Laura Nisbet, Mental Health Nurse, lead neurodevelopmental pathway, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Foundation NHS Trust Partners : Hampshire and Isle of Wight Foundation NHS Trust, University of Southampton Start: 1 10 2024 End: 31 3 2026 Aims of the study: This study wants to find out which medications work best for children who have both Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism. We are especially interested in learning whether the most commonly used medication for ADHD (called methylphenidate) works well for children who have both ADHD and autism, or if a different medication would be better. Background: Many children with ADHD also have autism. Right now, doctors usually treat ADHD with methylphenidate, but the studies that recommended this medicine didn't include children who have both ADHD and autism. So, we need to see if this medication works as well for children with both conditions. How We Will Do the Study: We are going to look at existing information (data) from the UK and abroad (Sweden), about thousands of children who have both ADHD and autism. We will compare different groups of children: Those who started with methylphenidate (the usual ADHD medicine). Those who started with other types of medication. Those who switched between different medications. Those who did not take any medication. We'll check how often these children needed to go to the hospital or emergency room, if they had any injuries, or if they had issues with self-harm. This will help us figure out which medicines work better and are safer. We will also use special techniques to make sure the comparison between the groups is fair and considers any other factors that might affect the results. Patient, public and community involvement : We believe this study will help doctors treat children with both ADHD and autism better. That’s why we’ll work closely with people who have lived experience of these conditions, both locally and internationally. Locally, we will involve people with lived experience from the Solent Academy of Research and Improvement team and Southampton Primary Care Research Centre. Nationally, we will work with representatives of the ADHD Foundation- Neurodiversity charity, the largest association people with lived experience of ADHD and autism in the UK. Internationally, we’ll partner with representatives of ADHD Europe, which is the largest European group for people with neurodiverse conditions like ADHD and autism. Professor Cortese has ongoing collaborations with all these partners. These people will help us at every stage of the research: designing the study, choosing what results to focus on, and sharing the findings with others. Sharing the Results: Once the study is finished, we will share the results with doctors and healthcare providers to help them make better decisions for treating children with both ADHD and autism. This may lead to changes in treatment guidelines and improve care for these kids. The findings will be published in medical journals, presented at conferences, and shared on public websites and in publications, especially those aimed at families of children with ADHD and autism.

Adoption and Spread Project Outputs Buy-in and Engagement Fit with Health and Social Care Systems Alignment with Health and Social Care Priorities Outcomes and Impact Adoption and Spread Checklist, webinar and resources Quick links: Project Outputs This domain helps you consider aspects that could influence adoption and spread of the use of project outputs both within the organisation or setting where implementation takes places and to other health and social care organisations. Also, what factors may lead to sustainability and the value of such sustainability. No FAQs yet This category doesn't have any FAQs at the moment. Check back later or explore other categories. What should I consider for my project? Adoption and Spread Project Outputs Buy-in and Engagement Fit with Health and Social Care Systems Alignment with Health and Social Care Priorities Outcomes and Impact Case study Spread the Learning Project (SLP) "From the beginning we involved our charity partners as stakeholders and part of the co-production team because we were aware that they would have responsibility for implementing the intervention and therefore understood how it would work in practice. We also considered our skill sets and identified areas where we required additional support and reserved funds to pay for a web designer and negotiated some administrative support. We developed a core team of train the trainers to facilitate adoption and spread of the project and ensure consistency but with negotiated flexibility for partner organisations. We had not anticipated all the branding requirements involved which required consistency with our partner organisation. This involved negotiation and sign off from an executive level. Fortunately, because we had engaged with them from the initial stages , they provided a marketing representative to help us comply with their standards." Take away tips Think about what systems and processes will be required to support adoption of your project Consider how your project fits with other systems and how it will provide value and benefits in different systems

Impact Since ARC Wessex began in October 2019 it has focussed on the tackling the health and care challenges of our communities and beyond. In addition to our four research themes, ARC Wessex has developed a Mental Health Hub and secured funding to look at the challenges and needs of our social care systems. We also lead on the National efforts to increase the number of researchers working on dementia (DEM-COM ) and the Healthy Ageing, Dementia and Frailty National Priority Programme with collaborated with the ARC network across England. Here we show examples of the impact of our completed research and the benefits to patients and the wider communities in Wessex. Read ARC at 5 - The story so Far | here Improving physical activity and lives in care homes The ImPACT study looked to create and test the feasibility of using trained exercise volunteers in care home settings to increase the amount of physical activity for older people living there. Are we making the right decisions on nursing numbers? In England a general yardstick is used to work out the number of nursing staff needed to look after patients on a ward in hospital. Recent research has now updated NHS guidance with its findings Online tool for Long Covid support A website to support people living with Long Covid offers a symptom checker, advice on seeking support, and encourages people to talk about their symptoms with professionals, friends and family. Clever help matches care and skills for district nurses The complexity of managing a busy team of district nurses has been made simpler by using computer and mathematical modelling to schedule visits - and the system could go further. Researchers test new ways to help tackle childhood obesity In England, over a fifth of children aged 4–5 years were classed as overweight or obese in 2021/22. A team of ARC Wessex researchers has been testing a way to help families improve kids diets. Building research capacity in Wessex 60 + 10 + £600K Invested We have trained more than 50 health and care professionals to make their first steps into research ... more than 10 PhD students are making their next move in research ..and growing numbers of Post Doctorate researchers getting to grips with the issues that effect us all

Project Outputs Project Outputs This domain helps you consider the deliverables or what is to be produced as a result of your project. These are the project outputs . Outputs can be singular or multiple and include any of the following: policy guideline(s), innovation, intervention, website or a tool. No FAQs yet This category doesn't have any FAQs at the moment. Check back later or explore other categories. What should I consider for my project? Adoption and Spread Project Outputs Buy-in and Engagement Fit with Health and Social Care Systems Alignment with Health and Social Care Priorities Outcomes and Impact Project Outputs Buy-in and Engagement Fit with Health and Social Care Systems Alignment with Health and Social Care Priorities Outcomes and Impact Adoption and Spread Checklist, webinar and resources Quick links: Case study “ As we had early discussions t o identify our project outputs within our team, we were able to plan resources required to support this. For example, we knew that one of our key outputs would be a website to be made freely available to all. However, as we engaged with our wider networks of stakeholders across d ifferent care homes, we realised that some also expressed interest in having a printed training resource which they could share with colleagues when hosting in-person workshops . This presented a challenge initially as we had not costed for the development of these printed materials. However, as we were still at an early stage of the project, we were able to apply for a small grant which helped accommodate these costs. Stakeholder involvement was invaluable to ensuring that our project outputs matched their needs . We will take this learning forward in future projects and consult with a range of stakeholders initially. This will help to support our project outputs to be available and accessible in formats which best fit the needs of those using them.” Person-centred care training resource for care homes project (PCCP) Take away tips Early engagement with stakeholders about what project outputs are helpful for them can enhance their longer-term value and utility Early engagement also ensures that resources can be prioritised and financially supported