Social Work and Social Policy Research (UoA20)
This is the first time we have made a submission to UoA20 Social Work and Social Policy. Our interdisciplinary Social Work and Social Policy research and impact activities seek to understand social problems. We look at their impacts both nationally and internationally. Our submission to UoA20 focuses on the two themes of health policy and ageing.
This is the first time we have made a submission to UoA20 Social Work and Social Policy. We are a relatively small unit. We have eight members of staff (7.7 FTE) based in the NU Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS).
Our interdisciplinary social work and social policy research and impact activities seek to understand social problems. We look at their impacts both nationally and internationally.
Our submission to UoA20 focuses on the two themes of health policy and ageing.
Health policy
Our social work and social policy research addresses issues around quality and equality in health policy. It looks at how politics influences policy making.
These issues are augmented with invited commentaries in major medical journals. With these, we exert influence on health care decision making.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Allyson Pollock has helped shape public policy debates. She's a member of Independent SAGE. She co-authored an influential I-SAGE report on inequality. She's been a source of critique of the government test and trace policy.
Ageing
Our research on ageing addresses inequalities in later life. It considers:
- risks of social exclusion faced by older people
- the role of age-friendly cities and communities in helping people to age better
- relations between generations
ROSEnet
A key achievement has been our work in the ROSEnet COST Action (2015–2020). It's a network of 180 researchers from more than 40 countries in Europe and other world regions.
Thomas Scharf is Vice-Chair and Suzanne Moffatt is a management committee member.
ROSEnet has generated new knowledge on social exclusion in later life through:
- multiple publications
- related funding applications
- active support for early-career researchers
Thomas Scharf co-authored ROSEnet’s scoping review of research on social exclusion in later life. It featured in the European Journal of Ageing. It has already been accessed more than 10,000 times and cited many times.
Impact cases
Our impact cases focus on:
- informing national and international debate to address geographical and socio-economic inequalities in health
- tacking social inequality and injustice by democratising water politics, policy, and management
Our commitment to research that has an impact is exemplified in Suzanne Moffatt’s 2015 study of the impact of the 'Bedroom Tax'.
Research findings were reported in the Guardian. Moffatt was being consulted by Baroness Quin. Her research used as evidence in a House of Lords debate on the health impact of the Bedroom Tax in 2015.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas Scharf has challenged negative media representations of later life. He's done this through public lectures, webinars, podcasts, and social media.
Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence
Researchers involved in UoA20 Social Work and Social Policy research are linked to two NUCoREs.
Regulatory science
The NUCoRE in Regulatory Science (approved in June 2019; directed by Pollock) is the UK’s first such centre. The Centre grew out of the shared concern of researchers in the University’s three faculties.
These centred on societal and public health implications of rapid advances in medical therapies and technologies. We wanted to address the scientific challenges thrown up by this.
Ageing and inequalities
The Centre for Ageing and Inequalities was approved in April 2020. It's co-directed by Scharf. It builds on our internationally recognised interdisciplinary strengths in research on ageing.
We focus on the key challenges associated with unequal ageing.
Research case studies
Democratising Water Politics, Policy, and Management to Tackle Social Inequality and Injustice
Market-centred policies have been implemented across the world since the 1990s. This has led to extreme inequalities in the access to water sources and essential water and sanitation services (WSS).
Professor Castro’s research investigated this area between 2005-2016. He looked at policies, their effects, and conflicts and opportunities arising from them.
The findings have helped stakeholders in Latin America to stop or amend legislation aimed at privatizing WSS. It proposes the remunicipalisation of privatised WSS, and the introduction of a national water law.
It has also helped an international federation of trade unions to:
- strengthen its political influence
- transform practices
- enhance their effectiveness in campaigning
Creating national debate and informing international policy to address geographical and socio-economic inequalities in health
Health inequalities
There are large health inequalities between social groups, neighbourhoods, regions and countries. Social and economic factors drive these inequalities, which have consequences.
Newcastle-led research found higher rates of ill health in the North of England accounted for £13.2 billion in lost productivity.
Social policies in England also reduced heath inequalities between 2000 and 2010.
Project findings
These two main findings informed:
- six Parliamentary Questions
- five House of Commons debates
- wider national policy discourse by influential figures such as the CEO of the NHS
Research also revealed differences in health inequalities between European countries. Health care and social policy factors influenced these.
This informed European World Health Organisation policy, which member states must follow.