Common Health Catalyst aimed to undertake early research to inform the development of a community research consortium to address health disparities in Lanarkshire. The collaborative project undertook preparatory work to contextualise and understand the past and present health profile of the area, to develop the research capacities and capabilities on health disparities across the public and community and voluntary sectors in Lanarkshire, with a view to ultimately better equipping partners with the tools and knowledge to address drivers of inequity at a local level, through a range of research and participatory approaches.

The project sought to create the conditions and partnerships to attract future research investment into Lanarkshire and Lanarkshire communities.

The project had 4 research components across 2 themes:

1. Theme 1: Learning from the past to shape solutions for the future
   1a Looking at historical and present epidemiological data and the health profile of Lanarkshire over time (led by the GCPH)
   1b. Exploring the industrial heritage of Lanarkshire and legacy of deindustrialisation on health (led by GCU and University of Glasgow)
   
   
2. Theme 2: Mapping the Health and Wellbeing Ecosystem
   2a. Programme Budgeting (and Marginal) Analysis (led by GCU)
   2b. Asset-based approaches and the identification of community assets through asset mapping approaches (led by the GCPH)

To ensure that the research project was informed by ongoing community expertise, voice, and perspective a Lived Experience and Advisory Panel was established. This vital aspect of the project was led by the GCPH.

Common Health Catalyst was led by the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University, with NHS Lanarkshire, the GCPH, The Health and Wellness Hub, and the University of Glasgow. Common Health Catalyst project was a nine-month project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The project took place between November 2022 and November 2023.

Research reports 

• Health in Lanarkshire: An epidemiology report
• Living and working in Lanarkshire: A history study report
• Asset-based approaches and the identification of assets through asset mapping
• Programme budgeting in Health and Social Care in Lanarkshire
• Health and Social care integration in Lanarkshire: Qualitative research findings
• Patient and Public Involvement: The Lived Experience Advisory Panel
• CommonHealth Catalyst: Understanding, contextualising, and addressing health disparities in Lanarkshire

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Closures and Beginnings