Social care
An effective health service is reliant on an effective social care system, and it is therefore vital that we develop a robust research base for social care, to ensure that local authorities (LAs) and third sector organisations provide the most effective services within a wider integrated system of health and social care.
Professor Lee-Ann Fenge
Social Care lead
Growing social care research capacity
ARC Wessex and CRN Wessex have pulled together to expand research into social care. Four researchers have been funded to work with local councils inDorset, Portsmouth, Southampton and Hampshire.
Senior Research Fellow Doctor Michelle Myall has just been named researcher-in-residence at Southampton City Council. Amy Drahota will work with Portsmouth City Council, Andy Pulman with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Council and Dorset Council and David Raper with Hampshire County Council. The researchers come from the Universities in Southampton, Bournemouth, Winchester and Portsmouth.
Research projects are at an early stage but will include issues like domestic abuse and social care workforce capacity. Funding is also available to support development of Research Champions within councils to work with the four research leads.
The social care research champions will be existing employees from the councils concerned. The specific focus of the role will differ by individual council and its needs. This will be an opportunity for learning for all involved, to understand more about what support is needed to enable growth in social care research.
Our Post-Doctoral Fellows
Andy Pullman
Bournemouth University
Amy Drahota
University of Portsmouth
Michelle Myall
University of Southampton
David Raper
University of Winchester