Health and care research expands at Herts with new dedicated research centre
A new research centre aiming to make a positive difference to people’s experience of health and care launched this week at the University of Hertfordshire.
Led by Professor Julia Williams and based in the University’s School of Health and Social Work, the Centre for Applied Clinical, Health and Care Research (CACHE) will focus on generating impactful research in nursing (including adult, child, learning disabilities and mental health), paramedic science, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, diagnostic radiography, therapeutic radiography, midwifery and social work.
Academics will work in close partnership with clinicians and practitioners in these fields to collaborate on cutting-edge and inter-disciplinary research projects, to share knowledge and expertise, and to advance the fields of health and social care in ways that will make a tangible difference to local, national and international communities.
CACHE was launched in Hatfield on Wednesday 13 December, where lead researchers presented guests with insights into the wide-ranging projects and topics that will be aligned with the research centre. These included Professor Shula Ramon’s research on social work in war-torn nations; Dr Laura Abbott on her continuing work on pregnancy and new motherhood in prisons; Dr Catherine Minns Lowe on musculoskeletal rehabilitation; and Dr Julia Petty on the understanding of communication between pre-term infants and their parents.
Professor Wendy Wills, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), said:
“Research at Herts always aims for maximum impact: how can we use our academic expertise to address the most urgent challenges in our society, and solve the biggest problems of our age? There is huge potential in the field of health and care to improve people’s everyday lives on small and large scales, and I look forward to seeing how CACHE – alongside the existing, and very successful, Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care – positively impacts on the lives of even more people in our region and beyond.
“Collaboration and partnership will be vital to CACHE, and we intend to work closely with the public who are using health and care services, to understand their lived experiences and pursue research that makes a tangible, productive difference to their lives”.
The launch comes as the University continues to progress its application to open a Medical School, which will join the existing School of Health and Social Work and School of Life Sciences as the latest evolution of Herts’ healthcare teaching and research portfolio.