Community-engaged and Data-informed Systems Transformation of Urban Green and Blue Space for Population Health
UKPRP award £7.1 million for 5 years, with additional in-kind investment from the consortium’s partners
GroundsWell aims to drive community innovation applying systems science that maximise the contribution of Urban Green and Blue Space to the primary prevention of, and reduction of inequalities in, non communicable diseases (NCD) in urban settings.
Our research
Our interdisciplinary researchers, collaborating with stakeholders and citizens, will use urban green/blue spaces (UGBS) as an exemplar to optimise innovative systems-based approaches that work with, and for, communities at high risk of NCD. We will transform systems and community approaches to create urban environments optimising health and co-benefits, while reducing inequalities. Initiating a step change in inclusive research and policy, we work towards the democratisation of research and evidence use. Communities as partners will enable delivery of optimal solutions to inform and innovate action on health inequalities and NCD prevention.
Whole system mechanisms of action will be determined through interconnected work packages: 1) co-developing a systems-oriented framework of how UGBS impacts NCD; 2) agent-based modelling to simulate complex adaptive systems to explore how UGBS transformations will reduce inequalities in NCD; 3) working with communities and stakeholders to co-develop and evaluate local UGBS interventions using citizen science approaches; 4) curating a shared data repository with UGBS features valued by policy and communities, developing health and NCD indicators at multiple scales to inform and evaluate UGBS interventions; 5) generating evidence on economic impacts of UGBS interventions; 6) identifying pragmatic, systems-level actions to improve policy- and decision-making for equity and sustainability; 7) implementing a stakeholder-informed impact strategy. Our cross-cutting health inequalities theme will embed the consideration of inequalities throughout GroundsWell. Groundswell will be shaped and developed in three pioneer cities (Belfast, Edinburgh, Liverpool), with embedded translational mechanisms to ensure UK-wide and global reach.
Recent outputs and impact
GroundsWell continues to produce a range of outputs reflecting its cross-sector and community-engaged approach to improving health through urban green and blue space. Recent blogs, including contributions from early career researchers, highlight ongoing research activities, stakeholder engagement and emerging insights from across the consortium. In parallel, a series of policy-focused case studies demonstrate how GroundsWell is contributing to evidence-informed decision-making at local and national levels, particularly in relation to health inequalities.
The consortium has also supported a number of community-led projects through its Community Innovation Fund, which provides small-scale funding to organisations in Belfast, Edinburgh and Liverpool. These projects are co-developed with local partners and generate practice-based insights to inform future research, policy and implementation.
Resources
Urban Green and blue space (UGBS) in climate action policies:
Community empowerment
We are developing citizen science based approaches such as The OurOutdoors App, which can be used as an evaluation tool, and/or can empower communities by collecting the data they need most. Our seminars are available through our Youtube Channel, including a video on intervention development with an organisation for those experiencing homelessness.
Data linkage innovation
Use of data linkage to measure the population health effect of non-health-care interventions: Wales and Scotland
Visit groundswelluk.org, email Groundswell@qub.ac.uk, social X @GroundsWellCon
Co-directors
Dr Andrew Williams
Senior Lecturer and Co-Director for the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy
Professor Sarah Rodgers
Professor of Health Informatics in Public Health, Policy and Systems
Consortium members
GroundsWell’s membership includes:
- co-investigators with varied expertise, including in public health, complexity science, data science, health, social and environmental psychology, health, social and environmental economics, political science, urban planning, landscape architecture, health geography, law, anthropology, computer science and social science.
- users from Belfast, Edinburgh and Liverpool City Councils, Public Health Agencies of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Greenspace Scotland, Scottish Forestry, Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, Department for Infrastructure Northern Ireland, Belfast Healthy Cities, Climate Northern Ireland, Health Data Research UK, Administrative Data Research Centre, NatureScot, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool Health Partners, NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, the Scottish Government, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, HSC Research and Development Office Northern Ireland.
- charities and Non-Governmental Organisations such as EastSide Partnership, Ashton Centre, Regenerus, Sustrans, Cycling UK, CHANGES, The Mersey Forest .
- Industry partners such as Spotteron, Translink, Anaeko, AECOM Ltd, The Paul Hogarth Company and Moai Digital Ltd.
John Barry
Professor of Green Political Economy and Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action
Benjamin Barr
Professor in Applied Public Health Research and Head of WHO Collaborating Centre For Policy Research on Determinants of Health Equity
Mike Clarke
Director of Northern Ireland Methodology Hub and Director of Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit
Natalie Clewley
Lecturer in Human Aspect of Cyber Information and Decision Management
Jeni Cross
Director of Institute for Research in the Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology
Frank Kee
Professor of Public Health Medicine and Director of Centre for Public Health
Catharine Ward-Thompson
Professor of Landscape Architecture and Director of OPENspace research centre
