Health and Care Research for All Report
From November 2024 until March 2025, Healthwatch delivered a project focused on the Eastern European Community’s engagement in health research. This came after the Integrated Care Northamptonshire (ICN) asked our organisation to partner with them to deliver the project locally.
The project aimed to enhance opportunities and promote inclusivity in research participation amongst Northamptonshire’s Eastern European communities.
We sought out existing events, mainly in the different EE communities, to attend and bring information about research and local services in their native language. We also produced a short survey to run alongside the project, which explored the awareness and benefits of research, as well as barriers faced when navigating the healthcare system.
The finalised report contains more in-depth information about the background of the project and the work we conducted, our key findings and recommendations, as well as an analysis of the survey responses.
"It has been a very rewarding and worthwhile project to lead with the ICB. Our approach allowed us to connect with the local Eastern European community and build meaningful connections. From this project, we highlighted better ways of working as a system, and it showed us the importance of understanding different cultures, the need for inclusivity and better access by adapting information to suit the needs of the people within our communities."
