
Cumberland Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) is a five-year project that started in January 2024, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) with the aim to boost research capacity and capability within local governments. Our aim is to embed research and evidence for tackling determinants of health, within Cumberland Council, partner organisations and the communities we serve. Further details about the project can be found in our summary below:
If you would like to find out more, please email: HDRC@cumberland.gov.uk
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Meet the Team
Mike Siddall – Research and Innovation Manager
Daniel Gibbons – Research Officer
Ted Roberts – Research Officer
Peter Kelly – Data Analyst
Samantha Carberry – Communications and Engagement Officer
Jae-Llane Ditchburn – Training Officer
Lianna Barrie – Research and Community Project Officer
Kristine Zepa – Administrator
Oliver Tait – Apprentice Data Technician
Meet the Community Co-Researcher Team
Our community co-researchers are taking the lead in research, focusing on tackling health inequalities in their communities. They play a key role in Cumberland’s HDRC, co-producing research priorities and co-designing and delivering research projects that are relevant and meaningful for communities.
Community Co-Researchers
Charlotte – Border, Fellside, and North Carlisle
Laura – Border, Fellside, and North Carlisle
Olly – Whitehaven & Coastal
Jess – Whitehaven & Coastal
Becky – Fells and Solway
Sheryl – Workington Together
Maisie – Workington Together
Tyler – Carlisle West
Andrew – Carlisle West
Val – Lakes to Sea
Hayley – Lakes to Sea
Alex – Petteril
Alshaimaa – Petteril
Bob – South Cumberland
Shirley Murray – Community Co-Researcher Support Officer
Training
Cumberland HDRC offers a comprehensive research skills training programme designed to help you to feel more confident finding and using research to enhance your work, capture what you already know and share what works (and what doesn’t) and to make and support your decisions. Our sessions are open to all Cumberland Council staff, elected members, and community organisations.
Our training programme is designed in line with the Cumberland Council’s Research, Evidence, Evaluation and Learning (REEL) Capabilities Framework, which sets out the capabilities needed by colleagues to embed evidence into the council’s culture, practice and policies.
- REEL Capabilities Framework
- Training Programme 2026
- Cumberland HDRC Co-production Conference 26 June 2026
Research Plan and Guides
Cumberland Council’s Gathering Evidence Safely framework, provides a framework ensuring that all evidence gathering undertaken for research is necessary, ethical, well designed and beneficial to all stakeholders involved.
- Research Governance Framework
- Research Governance Framework – one page summary
- Research Plan
- Research Plan – One Page Summary
- Research Priorities – How we developed our Research Plan infographic
- Cumberland Health Research Appeal – YouTube
- Improving Determinants of Health – Research methodology 2025 – 2028
Guides and How to…
- Research Governance Framework Guide: How to follow the Research Governance Framework; Part 1a
- Research Governance Framework Guide: How to complete Stage 1 Evidence Gathering Registration Form; Part 1b
- Research Governance Framework Guide: How to complete Stage 1 Research Registration Form; Part 1c
- Research Governance Framework Guide: How to complete Stage 5 Evidence Gathering Completion Form; Part 1d
- Gathering evidence safely: Planning your evidence gathering project (April 2025)
- Gathering evidence safely: Research methods (April 2025)
- Gathering evidence safely: How to do community engagement effectively (April 2025)
- Gathering evidence safely: Ethics and safeguarding research (April 2025)
- Gathering evidence safely: How to share your findings (April 2025)
- Gathering evidence safely: Writing funding bids (April 2025)
Forms
- Evidence Gathering Registration Form, Stage 1
- Evidence Gathering Application Form, Stage 2
- Evidence Gathering Completion Form, Stage 5
Evidence and Findings
- Caring as a determinant of health – preliminary literature review (July 2025)
- Cumberland Research Themes – Secondary Data Scoping (February 2026)
- One Page Summary of Scoping Reviews
- Scoping Review Report
- Scoping Review Report – Children Cared For
- Scoping Review Report – Access to Housing
- Scoping Review Report – Mental Health
- Scoping Review Report – Obesity
- Scoping Review Report – Pathways to Employment
- Scoping Review Report – Poverty
- Scoping Review Report – Substance use