Papers and publications

Evaluations - NIHR Public Health Interventions Responsive Studies Teams (PHIRST)

Browse the full range of Local Government initiatives selected by NIHR for research input to date.

Each evaluation is allocated to one of our 8 PHIRSTs which are ready to work with local authorities to co-produce research to underpin priority initiatives. You can browse the full list of PHIRST evaluations from this page. You can also browse our database of academic peer-reviewed publications that have arisen from PHIRST projects.

Exploring research capacity and capability in a local authority: qualitative insights from leaders and staff

This paper examines the landscape surrounding evidence-led decision-making in local authorities and seeks to explore the perceived research capability and capacity within one local authority in northern England to understand how research influences policy and practice.

The impacts of housing conditions on physical and mental health: a critical mini-review informed by a rapid conversion of evidence from Alidoust and Huang (2021)

This article provides a mini-review and summary of evidence regarding the various effects of housing on both physical and psychological well-being.

Appreciating dissonance: Using open appreciative inquiry as a tool to generate cultural change

This article outlines how the use of a loosely defined, human-learning-system informed, approach to appreciative inquiry has been used not to identify positive narratives so much as to surface potential disagreements and develop empathy and deeper insight which could lead to systemic change.

Reflections from a decade of knowledge mobilisation 

Prof Dan Bristow reflects on the importance of relationships, context and integrating different types of knowledge so that research findings can be applied with impact.

Letter to editor regarding: “Local authorities need tailored research ethics processes to support research capacity building”

A response from NIHR HDRC Doncaster providing an operational overview of their current position regarding ethics processes.

Baseline Data-driven decision making: Birmingham City Observatory's journey to a single source of truth

This case study explores Birmingham City Council's City Observatory, a pioneering data platform established to create a single source of truth about the city, its communities, and public services. Through examining the programme's development, we see how breaking down data silos and making insights accessible can transform decision making in local government. 

Baseline assessments of research capacity, capability and culture in UK local authorities: reflections from evaluators embedded in Health Determinants Research Collaborations | Health Research Policy and Systems

10 NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaborations present reflections on the planning, delivery and interpretation of baseline assessments of research capacity, capability and culture.

Researchers engaging with policy should take into account policymakers’ varied perceptions of evidence - Impact of Social Sciences 

There is often an assumption in evidence based policy, that evidence means the findings of quantitative studies or randomised control trials. However, in practice evidence is often understood differently. Drawing on a study of Welsh policy actors, Eleanor MacKillop and James Downe highlight four different approaches to evidence in policymaking and suggest how researchers and policy organisations might use these findings to engage differently with policy.