Colleagues from the Research and Innovation team at NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board (ICB) have been recognised at a national conference celebrating innovation and collaboration in health and care research.
The team attended the Research and Development Forum Conference 2026 in Birmingham, where more than 900 delegates from across the UK came together to share ideas, tackle challenges and explore the future of health and care research. Discussions focused on topics including research inclusion, public involvement, innovation, collaboration and improving the delivery of research across health and care settings.
Working in collaboration with colleagues from NHS Central East ICB and NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, Norfolk and Suffolk colleagues were named runners up in the “Best Abstract” category for their project: “More bang for your buck? How ICBs can use research capability funding to enable research beyond hospitals.”
Clara Yates, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at NHS Norfolk and Suffolk ICB said: “It was a real honour for our work to be recognised at a national conference alongside so many inspiring projects from across the UK. Having the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from other ICBs made this especially rewarding, bringing together different ideas and experiences to explore how research can reach beyond hospital settings. This recognition reflects the passion and commitment of everyone involved to make research more accessible and inclusive for local communities.”
The team also delivered an interactive workshop at the conference, encouraging attendees to explore how national policy could evolve to better support research in primary care settings.
Clare Symms from the team also presented a poster showcasing collaborative work led by locum GP Dr Olajidae Popoola exploring the barriers and opportunities for healthcare research in prison settings, helping to raise awareness of prisons as an important and often overlooked area for research.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline Romero and Michael Twigg from Clara’s team presented a poster showcasing the development, operation and early impact of Community Research Hubs. The hubs have created local networks with voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to help raise awareness of research opportunities among underserved communities and support recruitment into studies.
The initiative has already seen positive outcomes, including the recruitment of 18 children in Lowestoft to a study focused on the early detection of type 1 diabetes. Recruitment was supported through partnership working with local organisations including The Bread Kitchen and Shrublands Youth Group, the NIHR Regional Research Delivery Network and Community Action Norfolk.
The conference recognition highlights the growing impact of collaborative research across integrated care systems and the important role community partnerships play in improving access to research opportunities.