External Relationships

The Centre works in partnerships closely with a range of external organisations and collaborators, both locally and nationwide. These include service users, families, carers, providers, commissioners, clinicians and industry partners. Organisations include:

  • Australian Catholic University, University of Tasmania and St.Vincent's Private Hospitals (Australia)
    This partnership is working on a Cochrane review investigating Peri-operative warming therapy for the prevention of surgical site infection and with the Australian Catholic University (Melbourne) a project examining health related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological morbidity (particularly depression and anxiety), and resilience in post-operative surgical patients.
     
  • Bupa Foundation
    The BUPA foundation funded research conducted by Dr Joanna Brooks explores the influence of significant others in persistent back pain and the impact of this on functional outcomes, including work participation.
     
  • Diabetes UK
    Dr Joanna Brooks is currently conducting research funded by Diabetes UK, exploring the responses and influences of peers on adolescents with diabetes.
     
  • Higher Education Academy (HEA)
    In 2012, the Centre hosted a HEA funded workshop on teaching qualitative research methods, with a key focus on the sharing and collation of good practice and the identification of areas where guidance can be developed in the future. The HEA have also funded research projects undertaken by the Centre's members.
     
  • Imperial College London and Imperial College NHS Trust, Allied Health Professions Research Network , University of Hertfordshire and Academy of Nursing, Midwifery and Heath Visiting Research (UK)
    Professor Annie Topping leads a collaborative partnership providing a Mentorship Scheme for awardees of CNO Clinical Academic Training (CAT) and CSO Healthcare Scientist Research Programmes. This includes an elite group of researchers in the fields of nursing, midwifery, health visiting, allied health professions and healthcare scientists will receive regular mentoring from research leaders.
     
  • International Collaboration on Educator Development in Simulation (ICEDS)
    Involving a team from Huddersfield led by Professor Annie Topping with Professor Pam Jefferie, John Hopkins University US, Angela Hope, Wollongong University, Australia and colleagues at VIA University Colleg, Denmark and Helsinki Metropolia University, Finland exploring evidenced based nurse educator competency for simulated learning. Recently been awarded an EU Leonardo grant (2013-2015) to develop and evaluate nurse educator competency in simulation across Denmark, Finland, Estonia and the UK (NEStLed).
     
  • Local organisations
    The Centre works in partnership with a number of local organisations. Dr Joanna Brooks and Professor Nigel King are currently working with Almondbury High School to pilot new learning materials about diabetes. Dr Viv Burr is currently working with Kirklees Council on a project looking at the impact of elder care responsibilities on employees, whilst Kiara Lewis has worked with Kirklees PCT on an evaluation of their physical activity scheme for overweight and obese children in the local area. Additionally, Professor Nigel King worked alongside two local Health Living Partnerships (HLPs); Paddock Pathways to Health in Huddersfield (PPH) and West Central Halifax Healthy Living Partnership (WCHHLP); to evaluate their service provision.
     
  • Macmillan Cancer Support
    The Centre has an ongoing relationship with Macmillan Cancer Support, and has carried out five projects funded by them. These have all been led by Professor Nigel King, a long-time member of the Macmillan research collaborative MacPaCC working alongside colleagues including MacPaCC members and associates Dr Joanna Brooks, Dr Val Featherstone, Alison Bravington, Dr Beth Hardy, Jane Melvin, Dr David Wilde and Professor Annie Topping.
     
  • South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust (SWYFT)
    This NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and a range of other health and social care services to the populations of Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield and Barnsley. Between 2004 and 2011, the Centre and SWYFT jointly produced the Journal of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Research. Self-help (Professor Mike Lucock) and clinical risk management (Professor Bob Heyman) are the main themes of this research collaboration along with two funded joint PhD studies exploring the needs of suicide survivors, and staff perspectives on secure Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
     
  • Skin Interface Sciences Research Group
    This group formed in 2011 with the mission to facilitate and support inter disciplinary research in the area of skin and prevention of surgical site infection. The group promotes a ‘bench to bed’ ethos that allows for design, development and evaluation of products and devices that will improve and benefit clinical practice areas, thus improving quality of life for end users. The group comprises researchers from the School of Human and Health Sciences, Computing and Engineering and Applied Sciences who work collaboratively with clinical and industry partners both nationally and internationally.
     

  • The Society for Back Pain Research
    Professor Kim Burton and Dr Serena McCluskey have a long-standing involvement with the UK Society, which was formed in 1971 to promote the study of all clinical and scientific aspects of spinal pain, and to encourage research into its causes, treatment and prevention. Professor Burton is a past President of the Society and Dr McCluskey is a current member of the Executive Committee.
     

  • The University of Groningen, Netherlands
    Dr Serena McCluskey is developing a collaboration with members of the University Medical Centre conducting research into the influences on work disability due to chronic back pain.