On 19 March, ARC South London held a Knowledge Exchange Event in Great Hall, Strand Campus, King’s College London. The main themes of the day included examination of the facilitators and barriers associated with accessing health and social care, and creating dialogue and building networks between researchers, practitioners, and the public. Expert panels featured community organisation leaders (e.g., Dr Nadine Fontaine-Palmer, Director of Mabadiliko), researchers (e.g., Aleksandra Podlewska, research fellow, KCL), practitioners (e.g., Dr Sarfraz Jeraj, clinical psychologist, University of Surrey), and experts by experience (e.g., Angela Price-Rowe, Pain: Equality of Care and Support in the Community (PEACS) Project). The conditions in focus included sickle cell anaemia, chronic pain, and Parkinson’s disease.

Unit researchers presented two posters during the event. Caroline Norrie and Antonina Semkina prepared a poster “Keeping people in work: Recruiting occupational health professionals” about their recent study that aimed to investigate levels of awareness and attractiveness of occupational health careers from the perspective of healthcare (medical and nursing) undergraduates, postgraduates, career leavers and key informants. Expanding the Occupational Health workforce can lead to better support for employees or job seekers, helping them access or return to work if they are unwell or have a disability.

Antonina was also there as part of the Research Engagement Network project team (featuring Mabadiliko, South East London Integrated Care System (SEL ICS), ARC South London and King’s Health Partners), that presented a poster about their ongoing Phase 2 work. The project is set to help strengthen relationships across local research partners including community-based organisations in SEL, academic research teams, and SEL ICS. The project builds on and further develops the unique skills, trust and capabilities of community leaders and residents to shape and deliver research.

Apart from the talks, panel discussions, and poster sessions, the delegates also had an opportunity to network over lunch, to create new contacts and form potential research collaborations.

Related Unit work

Exploring the awareness and attractiveness of Occupational Health (OH) careers: perspectives of trainee doctors, nurses, OH trainees, OH career leavers

• Norrie, C., Semkina, A., Moriarty, J., Kessler, I., Elaswarapu, R., & Boaz, A. (2023) Exploring the awareness and attractiveness of Occupational Health (OH) careers, London: NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King's College London.