53. South Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Assets Study
“It was great to have the opportunity to work with Kada Research on this project, which will ultimately enhance the health and wellbeing assets across the sub-region. The team was professional and enthusiastic, and their efforts resulted in a very thorough and comprehensive final report.
They were also more than happy to produce an additional, more concise read that focused on the key points and findings which we were able to share with our wider stakeholders and interested parties, and the feedback we have received has been excellent. They have also offered to present the findings to stakeholders.
We very much enjoyed working with Karl and the team, and I understand the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) is currently working with Kada Research and the Growth Company on a new skills strategy for the sub-region.” Paul Johnson, Senior Economic Policy Manager, SYMCA
South Yorkshire is home to many different health and wellbeing assets and is a growing centre for health and wellbeing innovation. Whilst many of these are renowned and high performing, they currently do not always form part of a cohesive ecosystem and do not readily complement or connect effectively with each other.
Kada Research was commissioned by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to assess and map the health and wellbeing sector in South Yorkshire to identify opportunities for collaboration and future growth. We used commercial and official datasets, insights from a study steering group and consulted with over forty stakeholders including local businesses and practitioners.
The report explored the current and future challenges and concluded with some bold, but realistic, recommendations for how South Yorkshire could enhance its health and wellbeing sector. The initial recommendations were strategic and long-term. They focused on creating a cohesive narrative and community for South Yorkshire’s health and wellbeing sector and a roadmap of how to get there.
Connecting and growing South Yorkshire’s health and wellbeing capabilities through innovation and research which address local health needs was an important priority. The report also suggests transforming the visibility of the sector by promoting key areas of commercial and research excellence so that South Yorkshire is known as an exceptional location to develop, manufacture, and supply health and wellbeing products and services. Other recommendations included celebrating success, showcasing expertise, collaborating with others, and attracting and retaining talent as well as stimulating research and innovations.
“With growing pressure and opportunities on funding for innovation, South Yorkshire will need strong and ambitious plans backed up with robust business cases to ensure it is able to make the most of this growing sector. Our report, built on sector insights and evidence is designed to do just that” Karl Dalgleish, Study Director
“Our work highlighted the lack of a South Yorkshire ‘story’ for the sector and a lack of connectivity. Tackling health inequalities, preventative health, net zero, and digital technology adoption are four challenges we identified with strong opportunities for South Yorkshire.” Sophie Negus, Project Manager
Get in touch if you are thinking about commissioning a review of a sector or research activity you are involved with. Contact us at at karl.dalgleish@kadaresearch.co.uk or sophie@kadaresearch.co.uk if you would like to talk through an idea or hear about this work.