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Navigating the UK Health Policy Landscape: A Tool for Researchers

Welcome to our interactive resource for exploring the UK's health policy ecosystem. As a researcher in health and care, understanding the complex landscape of policy influencers and decision-makers is crucial for maximising the impact of your work.

Why Use This Tool?

Policy engagement is key to translating research into real-world impact. It encompasses the various ways researchers and policymakers connect, from informal conversations to formal collaborations. By identifying the right stakeholders in the policy ecosystem, you can:

  1. Increase the visibility and influence of your research
  2. Contribute to evidence-based policymaking
  3. Foster partnerships with key decision-makers
  4. Identify potential funding sources and research opportunities

Exploring the UK Health Policy Ecosystem

Our interactive treemap, based on a comprehensive mapping project by researchers based-within the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, visualises the intricate network of organisations and institutions that shape health policy in the UK.

Key sectors include: Healthcare (NHS and private providers), Government bodies (national and local), Higher Education, voluntary and charity organisations, Tech and Industry, Media, and Professional bodies and think tanks

How to Use the Tool:

  1. Navigate through the treemap by clicking on different sectors and subsectors.
  2. Hover over entities to see brief descriptions and their roles in the policy landscape.

You can also download the text versions of these documents (in pdf format) for both the organisations and a list of definitions, to help understand the context and what each of these organisations do.

Interactive UK Evidence Ecosystem for Health Policy

Beyond the Map: Effective Policy Engagement

Understanding the landscape is just the first step. Effective policy engagement requires strategy, communication, and persistence. Here are some tips to get started:

  1. Identify key stakeholders relevant to your research area
  2. Tailor your communication to your audience
  3. Build relationships over time
  4. Be responsive to policy windows and current debates
  5. Collaborate with other researchers and policy professionals

If you'd like to learn more, visit The Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN), a growing network of researchers, doctoral students and professional services staff at the University of Oxford who share a vision of public policy powered by the world’s best available research evidence and expertise.

This project was made possible by a grant from OPEN and support from the NIHR ARC OxTV, and carried out by Maeve Moran (now undertaking a PhD at Trinity College Dublin), and Dr Cervantée Wild, with special thanks to peer reviewers from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, including: Rachna Begh, Lauren Bandy, Anna Dowrick, Rebecca Payne, Tanvi Rai, and Sara Shaw.

The OPEN logoNIHR ARC OxTV

New to policy engagement?

To learn more about how this map can enhance your research impact, check out the launch blog post by Cervantée Wild and Maeve Moran. Get started with practical tips and insights on effective policy engagement!

Blog post