Pete Bower, HSR UK 2024 Conference Chair shares his reflections and thoughts on this year's conference.
Snap elections have the potential to play havoc with conference organisation, but HSR UK 2024 caught a break this year, as the country goes to the polls just before we convene, so we’ll be welcoming around 350 delegates and a new government.
This is my first year chairing the conference committee. As is traditional, we asked for reflections on HSRUK 2023, and one key bit of feedback was a query whether the conference was losing its ‘edge’ – were we grappling with the big questions and wicked problems, or seeking solace in ‘known knowns’, conventional wisdom, and the safe space’ of ‘it is all so complex’? Health policy discussions days after an election will be a good test of whether we have sharpened our metaphorical swords for the clashes ahead.
Health has been a key part of the pre-election discussions, but a glance at the output of various think tanks makes it clear that, whatever the size and shape of the voting, those grabbing the reins of power are going to be faced with a long list of challenges where there are no simple answers or cosy solutions. Of course, this is where our community should be at its best – giving a hard-headed assessment of the benefits, costs and inevitable trade-offs that may be swerved pre-election but which will have to be faced the morning after the victory party.
Our plenaries are focussed on big topics. First, since few political parties seem keen to tackle this particular Gordian knot, we ask ‘Can research help save social care?’, drawing on views from all parts of the UK to grapple with this question. Next, we go back to basics of recent health reform and ask a critical, pressing question – ‘Are Integrated Care Systems making any progress on health inequalities?’ (and if not, what was the point?). Manni Sidhu and Lynn Laidlaw took on board the memo about ‘edge’ with what should be a combative discussion of patient and public involvement and engagement – 'Bridging the divide between involvement and inclusivity in health services research’. Finally, we explore the gap between the promise of the digital revolution and the rather more grinding reality – and try to explore the potential of ‘Doing big data better’ (faster would be a good start).
Hopefully some of that energy will flow through to the wider research discussions, posters and workshops, where the big, long-standing issues of health and care services research will be debated – such as integrated care, inequality, evaluation methods, implementation and patient and public involvement and engagement. And we’ll continue to celebrate the up-and-coming stars of our wonderful community with our Innovation in Inclusion, Future Leaders and new User Led Research awards.
From a realist perspective, we have everything we need to respond to any suggestion that we have ‘gone soft’. Our Outcome is ‘edge’ – spicy debate and argument (we can make up over an evening drink). Our Context is of a febrile election taking place under dark clouds of economic pressures, where no-one seems to be really grappling with the issues facing health and care (see https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/blogs/do-the-manifestos-cut-it-on-health for a review of the ‘substandard sandwiches’ on offer for health and care). And the mechanism, the spark to generate some heat (and hopefully a little light) - well, that is where you come in. See you in July!
Pete Bower
HSR UK 2024 Conference Committee Chair