Why We Do Research

Research & Innovation

Why We Do Research

Research helps us understand what works, improve the care we provide and create better outcomes for our patients and communities.

Making a Difference

Research Leads to Better Care

Research is essential to improving health and care. It helps us understand conditions, identify better ways of delivering services and make informed decisions about the care and support we provide.

At Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, research allows us to explore new ideas, evaluate existing practice and contribute to evidence that can improve healthcare now and in the future.

By bringing together patients, communities, healthcare professionals and researchers, we can ensure that research focuses on the questions and challenges that matter.

Healthcare research improving care for patients and communities

Why Research Matters

Research supports continuous improvement across healthcare, from understanding people's needs to developing and evaluating better ways of providing care.

Improve Patient Care

Research helps us identify approaches that can improve the quality, safety and experience of care.

Build Evidence

It gives healthcare professionals evidence to help make informed decisions about services, treatments and practice.

Understand Our Communities

Research helps us understand the experiences, priorities and health needs of the diverse communities we serve.

Shape Future Healthcare

The knowledge created through research can influence how healthcare services are developed and delivered in the future.

Paediatric Dietetics & Internal Feeding Service

BCHC Dietetic Practitioner Mohbeen Khatab and Sue Meredith, Clinical Lead for Paediatric Dietetics and Internal Feeding, explain the difficulties staff faced when weighing patients in wheelchairs during home visits and how innovative new scales helped overcome these challenges.

The project has the potential for national impact, improving patient services and quality of care.

MSK Physiotherapy

Duncan Kingham, Head of MSK Physiotherapy Services, and Jon Price, Research Lead for MSK, discuss why research and evidence-based practice are vital to improving services.

Following a three-month secondment in Research & Innovation, Jon introduced larger studies and research training into MSK services, enabling staff from different research backgrounds to become involved, develop their skills and contribute to better patient outcomes.

Functional Electrical Stimulation

FES Service Lead Christine Singleton reflects on the research activities she first became involved with in 1994 and how research has continued to support improvements in patient services.

Through advances in technology alongside patient and clinician feedback, the service has been able to undertake research, publish findings and use the evidence to improve care.

Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service

Charlie Ayling, Speech and Language Therapist, and Hazel Allaway, Professional Clinical Lead for Children’s Speech and Language Therapy, discuss how research has been used to improve their services.

Their work includes exploring whether face-to-face or telephone assessments provide more accurate results, alongside other research projects that have improved patient care and increased staff confidence.

Research in Practice

COVID-19 Research at BCHC

BCHC colleagues reflect on how the challenges of COVID-19 created opportunities for teams across the Trust to contribute to important research while continuing to improve patient care.

The work included participation in major studies such as ISARIC, community and school-based COVID research, long COVID research and the SIREN study. These experiences helped build skills, research capability and confidence across BCHC, supporting the Trust to undertake larger studies within community healthcare settings.

From Questions to Impact

Research Starts With a Question

Many important research projects begin with a simple question: could we do this better?

By asking questions, collecting evidence and learning from patients, staff and communities, research can turn ideas into knowledge and knowledge into improvements in healthcare.

Working Together

People Are at the Heart of Research

Good research is not only about researchers. Patients, carers, families, communities and healthcare professionals all have an important role to play.

Their experiences and perspectives can help identify important research questions, shape how studies are designed and ensure that research remains relevant to the people it is intended to benefit.