Research units A-Z

Workstrand 8 draws together and communicates our programme-wide learning.

We have two main pathways for making important contributions

• novel scientific findings that inform and change the way cross-sector policy decisions that affect health and wellbeing are made

• by developing new methods for carrying out systems science research in public health. Workstrand 8 is about continuously assessing and improving what we do.

To get a full picture of opportunities and challenges and of how we are progressing towards our overarching goals, Workstrand 8 draws on the insights and experiences of many people: of policy partners, embedded researchers, scientists, community panels and advisory group members involved in the programme and of external policy makers, practice experts, academics and members of the public.

In Workstrand 8, we ask five key questions:

Novel scientific findings

What new evidence is generated through SIPHER in relation to inclusive economies, housing and public mental health? Is our new methods framework transferable to other policy areas? We will examine this via our publications, reports, presentations, new collaborations, and additional research funding.

Impact on decision-making processes

Do our findings make a difference to policy making processes? We are gaining ongoing insights on this through embedded researcher reflective diaries, interviews with key stakeholders, observations of policy decision making processes and analysing key documents.

Long-term partnerships

What is the impact of long-term partnership between academia and policy on our research and the organisations with which we are partnered? Through co-producing research and locating it in our partner organisations right from the start, we hope that it will be easier for colleagues to use SIPHER’s end products - new data, insights, models and decision tools.

Scientific Advisory Board and Topic Advisory Groups

What do researchers and policy makers who are not directly involved in SIPHER think about our approaches and findings? These groups, made up of senior scientists from across the international research community and UK policy and third sector organisations, meet regularly to critically review progress and advise on SIPHER’s plans going forward.

Community Panels

What do people living in Sheffield, Greater Manchester and Scotland, and especially people who have first-hand experience related to our focus policy topics, think about our work? We have created community panels of local people to input and feedback on all aspects of our work, and are committed to carefully consider and respond to the feedback we receive.

Across the many approaches SIPHER is undertaking, we will develop a detailed understanding of the contributions of the consortium, to complex systems science research (particularly in public health), and on decision making practices in local, regional and national policy organisations.

We aim to publish a new methods framework for providing multidisciplinary systems science decision support modelling that is co-produced between academics and policy partners.

We also hope to be actively contributing evidence across a large range of policy topics in many different places.