PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION AND RESEARCH IN EUROPE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM EXPLORING THE BREADTH OF PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH FPH ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012, CARDIFF DR MARIANA DYAKOVA, PROF AILEEN CLARKE WARWICK MEDICAL SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

European project 60% co-funding by DG SANCO ( European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumers ) Coordinated by EUPHA 30 months ( ), 2 phases THE PHIRE PROJECT

BACKGROUND  Health research and innovation are well funded by the EU and in some Member States (MS) - mostly biomedical and genomics; spending for innovation tends to favour industrial partners.  Insufficient public health and health systems research funding in the EU: The EU Seventh Framework Programme ( ) has spent less than 5% of all ‘health’ research on public health and health systems research in Europe Lack of collaboration and coordination – MS do not know what is happening in research in other countries (inconsistency and duplication) Lack of transparent and consistent dialogue between the MS and the EU – to shape European agenda (funding programmes)  The DG SANCO Public Health Programme ( ) has funded more than 300 projects across a range of fields within its small budget!

Public Health Research Communication GENERAL AIM  To communicate PH research value & impact  To enhance two-way communication between the MS and the EU in PH research (agenda & funding)  To increase communication (& translation) within MS - between PH research, policy and practice  To promote communication among PH researchers – nationally & on EU level

PHIRE OBJECTIVES  To promote PH research on national and EU level  To map public health research in the UK & place it in a European context  To raise awareness about the new European funding opportunities & possibilities for innovation  To increase the engagement of the Health Departments & the National Public Health Associations in PH research  To consider effective translation of PH research into policy and practice  To create a database of the existing European PH research projects

SPHERE ( ) Description of European- level activities for public health and national bibliometricsSTEPS ( ) Descriptions of public health research systems for all EU countriesPHIRE ( ) Map, inform, support and strengthen public health research nationally and in the EU Phase I Eight European “tracer projects” & Calls for PH research in 2010 Phase II UK PH Stakeholders Meeting National report Final report

UK PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH

UK PHIRE STAKEHOLDER MEETING CONCLUSIONS  The system for PH research in the UK is a complex multilevel structure with numerous funding agencies, research providers and collaborations  Commissioning is methodological and topic-based, as well as programme based.  There is generally good communication and coordination among the four countries and the major PH funders. They consider their strategies to follow commonly identified visions and priorities.  A funder/researcher split exists, characterised by lack of dialogue and feedback and overcomplicated access to funding sources.  There is insufficient horizontal researcher/researcher communication and collaboration.

UK PHIRE STAKEHOLDER MEETING CONCLUSIONS  Despite some government efforts and structural reorganization, there is unsatisfactory translation and implementation of research findings into policy and practice.  PH research has only a small funding share e.g for cross- and multi- disciplinary social and organisational research.  EU policies and agendas have little or no influence on UK and national PH research, though common priorities are identified.  There are a number of disincentives for collaboration between the UK and the EU as well as incentives to improve it in the future.  The new EU programmes present opportunity for incentivizing PH funders and researchers for developing future European-level partnerships.

UK PHIRE PHASE 2 RECOMMENDATIONS  At national level DH should collaborate with the national PH associations (FPH & SSM) to promote PH research and EU collaboration.  A strong concerted action of PH professionals and researchers is needed to defend the importance of PH research funding in the UK and locally, in order to increase the total health research funding allocated to PH to a minimum of 25%  PH stakeholder dialogue must continue on a wider basis, leading to more active and structured collaboration to address the major PH challenges through applied PH research.  PH funders should initiate and adopt a process of unification and simplification of PH research commissioning, with common gateways, making access to £££ and €€€ easier.

UK PHIRE PHASE 2 RECOMMENDATIONS  A common PH research database and registers should be developed at UK and EU level, preferably using European funding and collaborative expertise.  EU evaluations of research quality and the peer review process should recognize the significance and impact of PH research on populations and health systems as well as their added value to society and growth.  Patients and the public should be encouraged to participate in decision- making on PH research priorities.  EU-funded projects and their impact should be better communicated at a national level.  The new EU programmes (Horizon 2020, Health for Growth and the Structural Funds) should be used as an incentive to improve UK/EU partnership and to boost PH research.

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