By Lavinia Bertini
Research Fellow, ARC KSS Public Health Theme
Since April 2013, local government has been responsible for public health services and for improving the health of their local population. Research plays a vital role in public health as it provides evidence and insights to inform policy and interventions, reduce health inequalities, and improve people’s health and wellbeing. However, there are some challenges faced by local government and public health practitioners in doing and applying research. These include limited research resources, capacity, and infrastructure, and variations in the recognition of the value of research for practice, as well as the need for research that is more attuned to the needs of the local population.
For this reason, the Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS) has set up a Public Health Network that aims to advance research culture, capacity, and participation, especially among practitioners in public health in the region. It does so by offering a space for sharing and testing research ideas, fostering relationships and collaborative work across organisations (local authorities, academia, NHS, community, etc.) and providing information on research opportunities and professional development.
The Network is a space for the public health community in the region, and beyond, to exchange knowledge, build collaborations, and foster research culture and participation in public health. It meets regularly (monthly) online and is a key activity of the Public Health theme at ARC KSS, as it is instrumental in building and supporting research capacity in local government - a main objective of the theme - and to promote the identification and implementation of research that matters to the local population.
We recently conducted a brief audit of the Network’s KPIs (Key Performance Indicator) to take stock of the good things done so far and help us to plan for the future.
Since its inception in July 2022, 145 people have joined the Network and around 20 speakers have presented at one of the 15 network’s online meetings, including: public health directors, practitioners, consultants, researchers, and PhD candidates. The presentations and discussions are varied and include research findings, new ideas for grant applications, methodology, information on funding calls (e.g. NIHR Public Health Research Programme, NIHR Local Authority Doctoral Fellowships) and research support services (e.g. Research Support Service for Public Health), updates and news from local authorities' research activities (e.g. Health Determinants Research Collaborations, embedded researchers).
In the presentations so far, we have covered a range of topics of regional, national, and international relevance, including scabies outbreaks in semi-closed institutions (e.g. schools, care homes), children’s and young women's mental health, food insecurity, care leavers, action research, and public and community involvement. This is a collective journey and time is also dedicated to discussing future steps and directions for the network.
While most participants come from local authorities and academia, people from community organisations, NHS, and public advisors also take part in the network’s meetings and activities.
Our next online meeting will be held on Tuesday 24 September 2024. If you would like to join the mailing list and attend the next meeting, please contact us at
