Research Centre for Healthy Ageing set to open at Whipps Cross Hospital

Author
Rotola Akinlade

Posted on
16 January 2024

Read time
1 minute

Barts Health NHS Trust and Queen Mary University London have unveiled plans for an Academic Centre for Healthy Ageing in the UK – hosted at Whipps Cross Hospital – to improve the quality of life for millions of people in London.

Older people often suffer with multiple health conditions which generate complex healthcare needs. With one of the fastest growing and most deprived populations in the country, residents in East London also experience poor health at a much earlier age than those in more affluent parts of the capital, bringing about unique healthcare challenges.

Despite changes to NHS policy and practice to help improve the way care and support is provided, there are still gaps in the research and knowledge required to make the changes.

Putting the health and wellbeing of older people at centre stage.

The new centre will create a collaborative network of clinicians, researchers, educators, policymakers and the local community to transform how services work for older people, supporting them to live well and independently. The centre will also work across the region to support and inform better clinical services through healthcare training underpinned by the latest research.

Thanks to £6.6 million awarded by Barts Charity, the centre will be a network across Barts Health, Queen Mary University London, and partner care provider organisations hosted at Whipps Cross Hospital.

This generous grant will enable patients in East London to receive better care and treatment to enable people to live a longer, healthier life.

ACHA offers an exciting opportunity for Whipps Cross. By integrating academic expertise into our clinical structures, we can efficiently address local needs and set a dynamic research agenda. Together, we'll utilise the Living Lab structure to create impactful solutions for patients, healthcare workers, and the ageing population in north east London. ACHA will be the springboard for local innovation, with international impact.

Dr Mark Rawle

Consultant geriatrician and older person’s services research lead, Whipps Cross Hospital

We’re looking forward to working with the local community to understand their health priorities for older people in north east London. ACHA aims to be a step change, placing the health and wellbeing of older people at the forefront. By uniting academics, healthcare professionals, and public health colleagues, ACHA will focus on the best ways to support older people. Additionally, ACHA will develop training and dissemination initiatives to ensure research evidence is shared and embedded into practice.

Professor Steph Taylor

Professor of public health and primary care at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London

Whipps Cross is delighted to support this innovative partnership, which will contribute to improved services across our local area and to wider NHS policy and practice across the country. By working with, and listening to, diverse local communities, clinicians, and caregivers our new centre will mix innovative research with practical tools to enable better care to help all of us age more healthily.

Dr Amanjit Jhund

Chief executive, Whipps Cross Hospital

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