Working in partnership, we're improving health outcomes

We are committed to tackling health inequalities. We’re improving outcomes for cancer patients in Hull and Yorkshire through programmes such as TRANSFORM and interventions that lead to earlier diagnosis of lung cancer. We’re also working to lessen the impact of alcohol disorders on individuals, communities and services, which is disproportionately felt in areas of inequality. And we’re taking steps to help shape positive early mothering experiences in some of the most deprived areas of Hull.

Our work is improving the wellbeing of older people living with severe frailty and/or chronic breathlessness. We are also supporting home care workers to deliver end-of-life care through skill development and empowerment, and by informing employment practice and policy. And we’re addressing barriers to delivery of person-centred care for the growing numbers of people are living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. In addition, our Biomedical Institute of Multimorbidity will bring together our world class work in wound healing, respiratory, diabetes, cardiovascular & haemostasis and cancer imaging in order to better address complex conditions arising from an ageing population.

Our support for patients suffering from respiratory illness includes the development of a drug which has changed the lives of countless suffering from chronic cough. Our award-winning SENTINEL project, working with Astra Zeneca and implemented in 170 Primary Care Networks across England, is improving outcomes for asthma patients, with a significant reduction in prescribed inhalers and asthma exacerbations. We’ve also improved palliative care across the UK through the implementation of patient-centred outcome measures. Our research is helping to develop better treatment options for obesity and other long-term metabolic conditions such as diabetes, while supporting those living with them. We’re also improving oral and dental outcomes and quality of life for people with scleroderma, through improving the process of referral and increased awareness of the lived experience of patients.

Through a number of studies, we’re introducing exercise and dietary interventions to improve outcomes and treatment efficacy for people with cancer, long Covid and vascular disease, while reducing the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We’re also investigating the role of greenspace activity for improving health-related outcomes in people from areas of high socioeconomic deprivation. And our on-campus Health, Injury and Performance Hub is providing student-led, patient-centred care and rehabilitation to the local community.

In addition to our significant role in producing new workforce in medicine, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, paramedic, operating department assistants, social work, psychology, physician associates and dietetics, we work with our Trusts to identify new curriculum and training programmes for development to meet workforce needs (e.g. radiography, degree apprenticeships, CPD and other short courses), and colleagues are engaged at national policy levels.

Our Academy of Primary Care is actively supporting culture change required to maintain primary care in current conditions. Our award-winning CATALYST programme supports new to practice GPs to develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in the challenges of modern primary care professional practice. We have played a leading role in a national initiative to support the transition and retention of newly-qualitied nurses.  And we are committed to identifying the best possible applicants to study Medicine, regardless of personal circumstances or background and have a proven track record of widening participation initiatives which support individuals from backgrounds typically underrepresented in medicine, to fulfil their ambition of becoming doctors.

We promote person-centred primary care and physiotherapy practice, as evidence suggests this leads to improved patient outcomes.  Our on-campus Health, Injury and Performance Hub provides student-led, patient-centred care to Hull and the wider community.

We’ve also helped to increase palliative care provision in the primary care setting, while our evaluations of innovative new approaches are helping to reduce hospital admissions and visits to A&E. 

Our Health Innovation Hub (HIH) was launched in April 2022 to increase collaboration between the University and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH). The Hub offers knowledge exchange opportunities for our researchers to connect with clinicians across a range of multidisciplinary teams.