NIHR National Institute for Health and Care Research. #ARCadvent Top ARC stories of the year. Day 10: Physical activity for older adults in lower socioeconomic groups. Picture: Older woman exercising.

#ARCadvent day 🔟:

A review co-funded by @arc-gm.bsky.social reveals important insights into physical activity interventions for older adults from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, highlighting key factors that could make these interventions more appealing.

arc-gm.nihr.ac.uk/news/news/NE...

When these issues are understood, breathing and lung health can be better and fairer for everyone - no matter their background.

Take the Equal Breath survey today!

#EqualBreath #LungHealth

The Equal Breath survey was created with and for Black people in the UK living with lung conditions, to help researchers find out what matters most so they can look for answers to the questions you care about.

Many people from the Black community live with lung conditions and breathing difficulties such as asthma and COPD, but their voices are not always heard.

Take part here: 
Adult Equal Breath Survey https://Bit.ly/EBadult 
Children & Young People Equal Breath Survey https://Bit.ly/EByouth

Whether it’s sharing your views on treatments or medications, access to support and care, or any other matter related to lung health and breathing difficulties, we’d love for you to get involved.

Have your say: follow the links in this post!

It’s a national effort to understand what lung health really looks like for the Black community in the UK - to help shape future research, healthcare, and services so we can all breathe better.

The Equal Breath survey was created by the MRC Black in Biomedical Research Advisory Group, in partnership with Asthma + Lung UK.

Take part here: 
Adult Equal Breath Survey https://Bit.ly/EBadult 
Children & Young People Equal Breath Survey https://Bit.ly/EByouth 

#EqualBreath #LungHealth

Creative arts therapies effective for treating trauma in young people worldwide, Oxford research finds New Oxford research supported by NIHR ARC OxTV shows creative arts therapies – including music, dance and drama – effectively reduce PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents worldwide, with particular benefits for young people in culturally diverse communities.

🔎Talking therapies don't work for everyone, everywhere.
New Oxford research shows creative arts therapies can be especially effective for children and adolescents in non-Western and refugee settings – offering culturally rooted, low stigma support after trauma.
Read more

Many people live close to a pharmacy but far from a research site. This new partnership turns that everyday contact into a trusted route for clinical trial recruitment, especially in areas that have been under‑served.
@drmahendrapatel #HealthEquity #CommunityPharmacy

📣ANNOUNCEMENT: We have joined National Pharmacy Association to bring clinical research closer to people’s everyday lives through community pharmacies. 

Visit our websites and collaborate with us!! Follow the link for more details https ▶️ //tinyurl.com/3swz2jzc

A split-screen graphic. On the left, a blue background features the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) logo and a large quotation mark icon, followed by a quote about the importance of involving people in research. On the right, a photo shows a bright, modern indoor event space where groups of people are standing and sitting at tables, talking and networking.

Over 100 local people, researchers, healthcare professionals and others explored how collaborative health and social care research can be strengthened across London at our annual Active Involvement in Research events. #AIRD25

Catch up with highlights of the day 👇

arc-sl.nihr.ac.uk/news-insight...

Sadie Pinkney with text overlay reading 'Empowering inclusive leadership through the North West IPP Toolkit and steering group journey'

Embedding equity and belonging in pharmacy matters for patient safety, staff wellbeing and quality of care.

Sadie Pinkney shares her journey leading Inclusive Pharmacy Practice in the North West and developing a toolkit for pharmacy teams: https://bit.ly/4a9w9jg

#IPPWeek2025

SURVEY: Share your thoughts on PPI in research. This survey is external and open until 25 November 2025.

By sharing your questions, thoughts, or experiences, you’ll be helping researchers find out what matters most so they can look for answers to the questions you care about.

Take the Equal Breath survey today! #EqualBreath #LungHealth

Equal Breath survey poster

The Equal Breath survey is a national effort to understand what lung health really looks like for the Black community in the UK.

Equal Breath survey call out

SURVEY: Equal Breath Project is inviting adults, carers, and healthcare professionals of Black or Mixed Black heritage to share their experiences of lung health.

Take part:
Adult Equal Breath Survey ▶️ bit.ly/EBadult
Children & Young People Equal Breath Survey ▶️ bit.ly/EByouth
#LungHealth

Research careers showcase event poster scheduled for 21 January 2026. Registration is online through MS Teams and the event runs from 10am to 1pm

EVENT: Join an inspiring online event exploring how research can shape the future of healthcare and your career.

📆 21 January 2026
🕐 10am to 1 pm

Register through this link: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/abe863...

Black and mixed ethnicity pregnant women and those living in poorer areas face more children’s social services involvement Pregnant women from Black, mixed ethnicity and those living in areas of deprivation in south London are more likely to experience children’s social services involvement than White women and those livi...

REPOST: Pregnancy should be a time of care and support. @arc-southlondon.bsky.social research shows inequalities in how children’s social services are involved with expectant mothers.

We must act on evidence to build fairer systems.
#EquityInCare #SocialCare

▶️ arc-sl.nihr.ac.uk/news-insight...

Join Dementia Research has shared a film encouraging people of South Asian heritage to take part in dementia research.

Read More: buff.ly/XVs1Izi

What would research look like if every conversation happened in the spaces people already trust?

@arc-southlondon.bsky.social’s blog offers rich insights into how listening within communities can reshape inclusion and improve maternal outcomes. #ResearchEquity #ReducingInequalities

Calling all youth mental health professionals 🧠

Do you work with digital mental health tools for under 25's? Join the PureMind Project in shaping future digital mental health services by taking part in a short survey.

📅 Deadline: 30 Oct 2025

psychologygalway.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Major study reveals stark HRT inequalities across England Women from Black African backgrounds almost six times less likely to receive hormone replacement therapy than white women, new department-led research finds

Black African women are almost 6x less likely to get HRT than white women in England – and women in the most deprived areas are half as likely as those in the most affluent.

Major Oxford study of 2m women reveals stark inequalities in menopause care.

From @drjenny-hirst.bsky.social and team

PCC LOGO. Your voice matters – help shape the future of care for older people! October is Positive Ageing Month, and PCC are delighted to invite YOU to join our Care of Older People Engagement Platform. Our aim is to bring together older people, carers, and representatives from voluntary and community organisations to ensure lived experience is central to shaping decisions about care for older people in Northern Ireland. If you have any questions, please email Keli Farrell (Platform Lead) on Keli.Farrell@pcc-ni.net Visit our website to register your interest: pcc-ni.net/pcc-engage/engagement-platforms/care-of-older-people/ Closes: Fri 31 October 2pm

October is Positive Ageing Month! 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

Are you an older person with experience of HSC services, do you care for older people or are you part of a voluntary and community organisation working with older people?⤵️

Read more: pcc-ni.net/pcc-engage/e...

#PositiveAgeingMonth

A PPI survey invitation with a link and QR Code

REPOST: One of our collaborating partners HSC R&D would like to hear your thoughts on PPI work in Northern Ireland.

They welcome ideas from PPI contributors, researchers, health and social care professionals, the community and voluntary sector, and people interested in being involved in research.

@drmahendrapatel.bsky.social shared examples of how community involvement in research has already began to shape real progress in Wales.

“Wales can be a shining example of inclusive research” – Wales’ Chief Medical Officer launches inclusivity action plan Wales’ Chief Medical Officer, Professor Isabel Oliver, yesterday welcomed colleagues from across the NHS, government, education and the third sector to an event at the Senedd, to launch Health and Car...

We joined Health and Care Research Wales to launch a three-year inclusive research plan.

Read more on why this work is important to the Welsh communities and surrounding areas. healthandcareresearchwales.org/about/news/w...

CfRE partners with Wales to launch Inclusive Research Action Plan The Centre for Research Equity (CfRE) joins forces with Health and Care Research Wales to support their 2025-2028 national plan which seeks to make research more inclusive. The plan aims to ensure hea...

We are pleased to partner with Health and Care Research Wales to action this inclusivity plan across Wales and all of the UK.

Follow the link to find out more on what has been set out tinyurl.com/55weytmf

From left: Professor Mahendra Patel, Carys Thomas (Welsh Government), Isabel Oliver (Chief Medical Officer of Wales), and Andrew Dickinson (Chief Dental Officer) at the Senedd Inclusive Research Action plan launch, Cardiff, Wales

Partnership with Health and Care Research Wales at Senedd Wales and launch of the Inclusive Research Action Plan:

@drmahendrapatel.bsky.social shared that partnerships aren't about ticking boxes. They're about communities being valued, involved, and shaping research that matters to them.

Professor Mahendra Patel giving a lecture on inclusive research at the University of South Wales, Cardiff campus

Professor Mahendra Patel giving a lecture on inclusive research at the University of South Wales, Cardiff campus

@drmahendrapatel.bsky.social kicks off with a keynote lecture at the University of South Wales reflecting on the mission to inclusive research.

He stressed that research shouldn't be a one-size fits all, everyone in the community must benefit from research.

The action plan aims to remove barriers, value research impact, and support health and care professionals to lead change in Wales.