Manchester on track to become a Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC)

Manchester has submitted a bid to become a Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC), and is now undergoing further development throughout 2024, with a view to becoming a full HDRC at the beginning of 2025. HDRCs are partnerships between local governments, communities, voluntary and faith organisations, and partners in the public and private sectors.

The HDRC in Manchester will use council working and decision-making to inform research into how services can change, with an emphasis on using the first-hand experiences of those within communities. This will help to ensure that the research is relevant and meaningful to the people of Manchester.

Cllr Thomas Robinson, Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Social Care, said:

“This is a unique bid because it means that local people are at the heart of shaping policy and connecting with academia based on their own experiences. Too often communities are presented with pre-set solutions that they don’t relate to. The HDRC brings a new era in trust where local people can make their health priorities the subject of research – and will then see the impact on local decisions.

“Not only is that right, but it is [a] key theme of our Making Manchester Fairer Programme. That’s our five-year action plan to address health inequity and preventable deaths by looking at all the social factors that mean that some people in the city die earlier than others.

“Manchester is an incredible world-leading city and that’s why we want to make sure that those opportunities and expectations can be experienced by everyone who lives there.”

The HDRC in Manchester is expected to have a significant impact on the city’s health and well-being. By working with communities to identify and address the social factors that contribute to health inequities, the HDRC can help to create a healthier and fairer Manchester for all.