UK Fieldwork

Phase 1 fieldwork

The phase 1 fieldwork was successfully carried out with the three UK CLAHRCs from Autumn 2010 through to Spring 2011. In addition to the 67 qualitative interviews and general study of each of the CLAHRCs, we successfully collected data (with an impressive over 80% response rate at all sites) to map the networks of each of the CLAHRCs. We are currently engaged in analysing this extremely rich and extensive data set, and so far have been able to identify the types of boundary spanning activities that the CLAHRC are utilising, and reflect on how these are able to facilitate knowledge translation between different types of communities. From our social network analysis we have been able to identify the types of new networks that the CLAHRCs are developing and how these support knowledge flow across professional and organisational boundaries.

Current UK activities

We are currently collecting data for the cognitive mapping component of our UK study. This interactive survey-style exercise will allow us to collect data about what features of each of the CLAHRCs are important in allowing these initiatives to be able to successfully achieve their aims.

Feedback & Dissemination activities

As part of this evaluative research study, we have always aspired that the findings from this study could useful help the development of the three CLAHRCs that we are working with. During Summer 2011 we met individually with the core management teams to discuss our findings, and how these could help with their formative development. Whilst each of the CLAHRCs has developed different characteristics, we have been able to highlight how the features relate to particular capabilities for supporting the development of networks and capabilities to facilitate knowledge translation.

We are also enthusiastic about identifying opportunities to disseminate findings to a wider audience, and have recently presented work about our social networks analysis at the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland (LNR) CLAHRC, and have presented insight from our qualitative study at a regional British Sociological Association BSA) Medical Sociology Group one-day conference. Earlier in the year, we were able to present our work in the form of a poster at the annual SDO conference held in Liverpool.

Throughout 2012, members of the project team will attend a number of conferences to present different aspects of this study. Details of forthcoming conferences can be found on our 'News and Events' page.

Scientific Advisory Board

This study is supported by an advisory board which includes representation of members of the CLAHRCs, together with academic, policy and sector and service-user experts, which help to develop and tailor our study to ensure its relevance for different audiences.

We meet every 6 months, and at our third meeting in June 2011, were able to interactively discuss our initiative findings from the qualitative and network analysis parts of the study. As Marco Marabelli, our researcher who is conducting the fieldwork for our international component of the study, was able to join us, we could also reflect on how the international component of our work provided insight into the institutional context of the work of the CLAHRCs.

In January 2012, we held our 4^th advisory board meeting. Topics discussed during this meeting included how to complete the ‘story’ of the CLAHRCs with our phase 2 data, and in particular how to descriptively compile how the types of achievement of this initiative are related to the distinct characteristics of the CLAHRCs.