Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research Opens

Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research Opens

ADP’s recently completed
multidisciplinary centre in Bradford promotes clinical and academic
collaboration.

The ADP-designed Wolfson Centre
for Applied Healthcare Research was recently opened on the Bradford Teaching
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust site.

The new centre is co-opted by
both the University of Bradford and the University of Leeds, who will work with
clinical researchers from the Bradford Royal Infirmary. £1m was donated to the
project from the Wolfson Foundation charity, which awards grants to support and
promote excellence in education, science and medicine, the arts and humanities,
and health and disability.

Strong multidisciplinary clinical
and academic collaboration will be developed in one applied health research
building, with the ultimate aim of tackling key questions of health and social
care. The focus will be three key areas of healthcare research: children’s
health, life expectancy, and the standard of care received across the UK.

Echoing modern thinking around
research, the building delivers communal “breakout” spaces for developing
ideas, connected welfare areas, “outward looking” facilities and collaborative
work spaces.

The Wolfson Centre accommodates
the Centre for Ageing, one of the UK’s most successful research groups in
applied health research for older people, and the National Institute for Health
Research’s National Patient Safety Centre. The building promotes an
interdisciplinary approach to research activity, enabling the partner
organisations to become nationally and internationally competitive in terms of
grant acquisition and research impact.

The combined expertise of health
researchers and clinicians means research findings can be quickly put into
practice, resulting in better health and social care for patients. The
centre provides specialist knowledge in research design,
implementation sciences, psychology, social sciences, informatics and
statistics, as well as skills in communicating with clinicians, scientists,
policy makers, healthcare providers, the public and patients.

Len Wilson, deputy director for estate
services, commented: “This was an exemplar scheme both in design and
construction. The successful relationship between the three partner
organisations has enabled the building to be delivered on time and budget.”