Equitable allocation of resources for community services and social care

The UK experiences large differences in health between places with people living in poorer areas dying on average 9 years younger and living for 19 more years in poor health than more affluent areas. An important strategy for addressing these health inequalities is ensuring that adequate health and social care resources are allocated to places to meet population needs. This has been an essential part of national NHS policy that has been shown to reduce health inequalities.

The NHS uses various formula to allocate £ 80 billions of annual resources to local health care organisations based on levels of need. These local health care organisations then distribute these resources at a neighbourhood level – for example for neighbourhood community nursing and social care teams. This local distribution of resources often does not reflect measures of need.

This PhD will work at the cutting edge of health informatics, utilising unique linked health and social care data from across the whole population of Liverpool to develop new metrics estimating the need for community health and social care services at the neighbourhood level. Working in partnership with local health and social care organisations – Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Liverpool CCG and Liverpool City Council, it will contribute to using these metrics to more equitably distribute community health and social care services. Using advanced statistical methods the PhD will evaluate the health inequalities impact of these changes. The PhD will inform national work on developing NHS resource allocation policy.

The PhD will be based with a team internationally recognised for its health inequalities research, involve work as part of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Policy Research on Determinants of Health Equity. It will be part of the developing Liverpool City Region Civic Data Coop a £5 million investment in data linkage and will involve placements with Liverpool City Council, CCG and Mersey Care.

Candidates should have a 2.1 or 1st class degree in a relevant discipline – e.g. geography, economics, social science, data science, epidemiology, computer science, population health. A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline would be an advantage, as would clear evidence of an interest in developing quantitative methods in the study of health inequalities. The student will benefit from research training in policy analysis, advanced econometric and statistical methods, data science and the use of statistical software. They will develop skills in policy-relevant research on health inequalities and establish a body of high impact research and publications.
Applications are invited from individuals with a strong academic record who wish to develop a career in public health research.

Application is by CV and covering letter. The covering letter must detail your interest in the studentship, related experience and training and suitability for the position. Applications are to be sent to Professor Ben Barr, [Email Address Removed].