CORU staff have been contributing to a multidisciplinary embedded research team at University College London Hospitals NSH Foundation Trust (UCLH) since 2014. The team, which currently includes two medical anthropologists and a health economist in addition to CORU operational researchers, undertake research projects in close collaboration with health professionals and managers at UCLH and help to build capacity for health services research within the Trust. Being ‘embedded’ within the health care setting increases the potential for well-designed research, conducted in the context in which findings will be applied. The embedded approach also supports researchers, health care professionals and other staff in understanding and valuing each other’s roles, knowledge, and approaches, as well as developing complementary skills.

Our research and input has had, and continues to have, a direct impact on practice at UCLH, including informing:

  • the method currently being used to define the accreditation status of 47 wards at UCLH and the broader rollout strategy for this programme;
  • UCLH’s rollout strategy and effective implementation of a novel perioperative medicine pathway;
  • the planning of the UCLH@Home service (including the re-negotiation of UCLH’s contract with Healthcare at home);
  • the training and deployment of nurse specials within UCLH.

Selected publications: