From evidence to impact: what it takes to deliver research in practice

In March our consulting team launched a new webinar series focused on the practical realities of delivering innovation in health and care. Throughout the series we will share practical tools, techniques and lessons learned from a range of our projects as well as signpost attendees to offers of support across the region. 

We kicked off the series with a session on research engagement, implementation and impact – themes that are central to many of our consulting projects and to our partners across the East of England. Increasingly, research is expected to do more than generate insight. It is expected to support implementation, inform service change and contribute to improved outcomes across populations. The challenge lies in translating evidence into settings that are complex, pressured and constantly evolving.

The session centred on learning from three projects:  

• Enabling the East of England neurosurgery network to engage regional research centres outside of a large academic Trust 
• Enabling effective intervention implementation at trial sites in two large NIHR-funded studies – one definitive trial of an initiative to enable medication reviews for older people in inpatient settings (CHARMER); and one ongoing feasibility trial of an initiative to improve medication adherence in primary care (IMAB-Qi). 
• Leading knowledge mobilisation for CHARMER 

We were joined by an expert panel, which brought a wealth of experience and expertise. 

Diverse perspectives at the heart of research 

Engaging a diverse population in research is essential to ensure that innovation in health and care is effective for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, culture – or any other personal characteristic.  

The starting point, we heard, is relationships. 

Donna Coe, Regional Community Engagement and Inclusion Manager at the East of England Regional Research Delivery Network, described an experience shared by many communities. Researchers, she said, often “pop in, they do their bit, [leave] and [are] never heard from again”. A way of working that is clearly not conducive to building trusted engagement. The crux of the issue sits in the way research is typically structured and governed. Engagement is frequently tied to individual projects, while the trust required for meaningful participation develops over much longer periods and is better won via long term community engagement.  

There are signs of a shift. The national NHS England-funded Research Engagement Network (REN) programme is building more sustained connections with communities, and there is growing recognition of the role of Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations as partners within the research ecosystem. Having project managed a REN programme in the East of England we recognise this as s a familiar theme emanating from the programme. Stronger engagement happens when researchers build on existing relationships, local infrastructure and trusted networks, rather than approaching communities in isolation.  

Delivering research in complex systems 

Research gains traction when it reflects how care is actually delivered. This came through clearly in our work with the East of England Neurosurgery Network. Expanding research beyond a large academic centre required a detailed understanding of where patients were managed and how services operated across the region. In some cases, hospitals had assumed they were outside scope because studies felt disconnected from their day-to-day work. Once that connection was made, participation followed. 

As Daniela Caputo, Patient and Participant Voice and Clinical Research Strategy Lead at the East of England Neurosurgery Network, put it, “there is no one solution for all”. Local context shapes what is feasible and what will be prioritised. As care continues to shift into community and neighbourhood settings, research needs to follow those same pathways. 

Even where that alignment exists, delivery introduces a different level of complexity. 

Many of the studies discussed required changes to practice, systems and behaviours across teams. These are not marginal adjustments. They reshape how care is delivered. Prof. Debi Bhattacharya, Professor of Behavioural Medicine at the University of East Anglia, captured the reality of this work: “no matter how much money we throw at it, we also need time”. 

Time allows teams to adapt, test and embed new ways of working. It also supports consistency across sites that are operating with different levels of capacity and capability. Across the projects discussed in the webinar, and in our wider implementation work, practical support plays a central role. Responsive input, troubleshooting and opportunities for peer learning help sites navigate challenges as they arise and reduce variation in delivery. 

From evidence to impact 

The impact of research is often associated with its dissemination at the end of a project. In practice, it develops much earlier. It is shaped by how research is designed, who is involved and how closely it reflects the decisions that will be made once findings are available. Clinicians, patients, commissioners, policymakers and system leaders should be actively involved in design and dissemination. 

Engaging all of these perspectives early strengthens the route into practice and supports outputs that can be used within real-world settings. 

Across each part of the webinar discussion, a consistent theme emerged. The work required to move research into practice is understood. The challenge lies in creating the conditions to do it well, particularly within the time and resource constraints that shape research delivery. 

As the knowledge mobilisation and implementation partner for the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East of England, Health Innovation East has significant experience in making change happen. Our recent blog highlights five key building blocks for getting it right. 

Help is at hand however, more support is available within the system than is often used. The Research Support Service, Research Delivery Network and Applied Research Collaboration each play a role across design, delivery and translation. Health Innovation East works across these interfaces, and our own project experience continues to show us the value of support that connects implementation, stakeholder engagement and routes into impact rather than treating them as separate tasks. 

Concluding thoughts 

Our first webinar set the tone for the series by focusing on a challenge we increasingly encounter through our own work: how to ensure strong research is not left at the point of publication, but enables meaningful change.  

The discussion reinforced the value of creating space for researchers, delivery partners and support organisations to share practical learning from live projects and common challenges.  

The conversation will continue through future sessions. If there is a topic you would like us to explore, or a challenge or project you are working on, we would welcome a conversation. Our engagement form can be used to suggest future webinars or to discuss how we can support your work. 

If you are an innovator or a healthcare provider looking for support with a challenge or project, please fill in Health Innovation East’s consultancy engagement form below.