A new Centre called the IMPACT (Improving Adult Care Together) Centre has been launched today.
The IMPACT Centre has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, and the Health Foundation.
Learning Disability England is part of the IMPACT Consortium, a group of stakeholders working with the University of Birmingham to help develop the Centre.
As part of the IMPACT Consortium, Learning Disability England will:
Help make sure the evidence and experience of all members can feed into the centre
Make sure members hear about opportunities to be part of the work of the centre to improve what they do
Help user and family led organisations; or other experts by experience we know
Wendy Burt, Rep Body Co Chair said: “We support the vision of a life, rather than just focusing on services; as well as being part of a consortium that builds on evidence collated or created with the people with lived experience who draw on social care”.
The IMPACT Centre will:
• Lead the way in helping people who receive social care support, their families and carers and the people working in adult social care to share good practice and learn from each other
• Build capacity and skills in the adult social care workforce
• Help develop sustainable and productive relationships between all of those working across adult social care
• Improve understanding of what helps or hinders when putting evidence into practice
IMPACT will start its initial engagement work from 1st June 2021.
The Centre will spend the rest of 2021 consulting with key stakeholders across adult social care, and across the four nations of the UK.
The IMPACT Centre lead for Lived Experience is Clenton Farquharson MBE.
Clenton said: “My main purpose and area of my work and focus, is on fairness, equity, a just society, anti oppression, diversity, inclusion…to improve social care. Seeing that we can do our best to get voices heard to shape what a good life looks like. So my role is to support that there are mechanisms that can create the opportunities to hear from US all.”
The Centre will receive funding of £15 million over the next six years, with equal contributions from ESRC and the Health Foundation.
Jon Glasby, Professor of Health and Social Care at the University of Birmingham has been appointed as IMPACT’s director.
He will be working with partners from across the UK to lead the co-development, establishment and delivery of the centre.
Jon said:
“Adult social care touches people’s lives in such important and intimate ways, and it’s crucial that it’s based on the best possible evidence of what works. Good care isn’t just about services, it’s about having a life – and the ESRC and the Health Foundation are providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a real difference.”
