The Health and Wellbeing Board is scheduled to consider updates on the Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) programme and the Careline service. The meeting will also include a verbal update on the Better Care Fund.

HDRC Year 2 Update

The Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) programme, funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), aims to enhance research capacity and capability within local government. Ealing Council was successful in its application to join the programme in 2023, joining a network of 30 HDRCs across the UK. The report details the progress made during the second year of the programme, which focused on the Connect and Establish phase. This involved laying the foundations for the initiative, including establishing governance, performance, and financial frameworks, and initiating structured workstream rhythms.

A key aspect of this phase was a baseline assessment of the evidence-informed culture within the council, conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Strategic relationships have been built through collaborative away days involving academics, community members, and council staff, fostering a shared vision and trust. The team has also been expanded with the recruitment of several new members, including a research capacity lead, communications lead, participatory research specialist, evaluation specialist, and research data scientist.

The programme has also focused on socialising its purpose and progress through various communication channels, with a dedicated website launched in January 2026. A significant initiative is the Ealing Community Action Research Initiative, which uses a systemic Participatory Action Research (sPAR) approach, led by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in partnership with Ealing Council and community and voluntary sector organisations. This initiative involved recruiting 22 community researchers nominated by voluntary sector organisations, who then participated in a group-based recruitment process. The project officially launched in January 2025, with researchers receiving training and ongoing support from IDS experts.

The community action initiative has collected and collaboratively analysed 140 community stories, developing a systems map that highlights pathways to both good and poor health outcomes. An internal showcase for council staff took place on 23 June 2025. The Action Research Phase, running from September 2025 to March 2026, involves six action research groups focusing on specific pathways to health, inviting council staff, voluntary and community sector (VCS) representatives, and others to co-create actions. Themes include green spaces, youth spaces, temporary accommodation, domestic violence, and language barriers.

Progress has also been made on data linkage, specifically the Children and Young People (CYP) Data Linkage Project. This project aims to link council data on children's social care and education with the NW London NHS data warehouse (WSIC – Whole System Integrated Care), in collaboration with academic partner Imperial College London. The purpose is to build a robust, integrated dataset combining health, social care, and education data to support research, service planning, and policy development. Phase 1 linkage was scheduled for March-May 2026.

The HDRC evaluation includes a baseline assessment of 'Cultures of Evidence' research, led by LSHTM researchers. A Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework and plan have been co-developed with LSHTM and learning partner Clear Horizon, with workstream-level and programme-level theories of change created. A deep dive evaluation of the community action research project began in October 2025.

Training and capacity building efforts have included insights from the 'Cultures of Evidence' project, a literature review on organisational capacity building, and staff interviews. Trailblazer training offers have included a 4-month intensive online course on Measurement, Evaluation & Learning (MEL), launched in April 2025, with 9 participants. A half-day Introduction to Participatory Action Research training was delivered in June 2025, with 15 staff participating. A training and capacity building strategy and delivery plan was approved, with Year 2 delivery co-produced with partners. Engagement with council teams began in November 2025, with early demonstrator teams identified in the Economy and Sustainability, Housing, and Children's Directorates. E-learning resources about research and evaluation processes have been curated and are available via the HDRC website. Weekly Community of Practice drop-in sessions and monthly webinar series have been launched. Two academic placements are taking place from February to April 2026, with one researcher investigating HMO conditions and their impact on mental health, and another supporting data analysis in children's services.

What has gone well in Year 2 includes strong foundational structures and processes, with a particular emphasis on the composition of partnerships and governance. The strength of collaboration between partners has been noted, with a sense of shared investment and the emergence of a strong multi-disciplinary team. A focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion, and community involvement, has seen community partners involved in workstreams and strategy group meetings, and the HDRC board includes community sector representatives.

Challenges identified include clearly communicating the vision and purpose of HDRC Ealing, as the programme in its foundational phase can be intangible to those outside the collaboration. Staff capacity to engage with HDRC is also a challenge, with many staff feeling stretched and viewing research as a luxury amidst numerous transformation initiatives. The report highlights the need to engage staff by demonstrating how research and evaluation can create greater impact in their everyday roles.

Plans for Year 3 include the Action Research Group phase, focusing on capacity building, knowledge generation, and emergent actions to tackle health inequalities, with an evaluation of the process. Engagement with key teams with an appetite to engage with the HDRC offer will continue, working with three main directorates/teams to embed research and evaluation tools in important projects. Building a community of practice for staff engaged with HDRC training offers will support the sharing of practice and provide drop-in sessions for queries. Infrastructure development will include CYP data dashboard pilots and scoping a qualitative data repository. The programme aims to transform into an 'active research collaboration', developing Ealing's research priorities, completing a research governance framework, and seeking further research funding. The HDRC developmental evaluation will continue, assessing the community action research and measuring emerging impact to inform future sustainability and learning.

Careline Report from Healthwatch Ealing

A report from Healthwatch Ealing details the service user experience of Careline, following the transfer of the contract from Ealing Council to Harrow Council during the 2024-25 fiscal year. Healthwatch Ealing interviewed 22 Careline service users and carers, and four Careline staff members, alongside meetings with management at both Ealing and Harrow Councils.

The findings indicate that most service users feel safe and independent due to Careline, with 86% stating the service enables them to live independently, and some reporting they would not be able to remain at home without it. The transition from Ealing to Harrow caused very few operational issues, with only one service user reporting practical difficulties related to equipment collection and payments. However, communication about the transition was a key concern, with many service users unaware of the changes until after they had occurred. Careline response times and support were generally positive, with incidents such as falls being handled effectively.

A significant finding is the low awareness of Careline in the wider community, with many eligible residents having never heard of the service. Frontline staff enjoy supporting service users but face a fast-paced, demanding workload. While staff feel supported by colleagues and managers, few were aware of or engaged with the mental health support available from Harrow Council.

Key recommendations from the report include strengthening communications about service changes and transitions, increasing public awareness of Careline and its benefits, improving staff wellbeing support and awareness of available mental health services, and continuing Careline's good practice in proactive engagement, such as birthday calls and follow-ups.

The report also includes responses to these recommendations from Harrow Council and Ealing Council commissioning teams. Harrow Council acknowledges the need to improve communication and staff awareness of support services, while Ealing Council highlights its role in leading communications for Ealing residents and promoting the service through targeted settings and professional training.

Better Care Fund

A verbal update on the Better Care Fund is scheduled to be provided. The Better Care Fund is a jointly commissioned fund between NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care, designed to support the integration of health and social care services.