Health and wellbeing are profoundly social. In spite of the widespread acceptance of the social nature of health and wellbeing, healthcare practice continues to be predominantly ‘perceived’, ‘managed’ and ‘informed’ by clinical evidence and practice.
As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science and in collaboration with the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences and Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, the Institute of Health and Community supported two events. Our aim was to address the disjuncture between health experience and healthcare through actively promoting better engagement with the social sciences and between health and social care practitioners; teaching colleagues, patients, service users and carers.
‘The sociological imagination and evidence-based practice’: research speed networking.
This event was designed to bring practice colleagues (including representatives of patient and service user groups) into the University and to encourage networking.
Social science researchers had ten minutes to 'pitch' their research and its impact to small groups, with a closing plenary discussion. There was an opportunity for participants to utilise attendance at this event as part of their continuing professional development, with the provision of a voucher that could be used towards an assessed reflection for academic credit at Level 6 or Level 7.
Speakers at the event included: Dr Mike Sheaff (speaking about NHS accountability and the use of the Freedom of Information Act in social research); Dr Adrian Barton (social research into alcohol use), Professors Alison Anderson and Brigitte Nelson (the representation of science in the media), Professor Gayle Letherby (health, wellbeing and reproductive bodies) and Professor Ruth Endacott (experiences of end-of-life care).