Deprivation is a serious issue in certain parts of Coventry and, overall, people living in the city suffer from worse health and wellbeing than the England average. Life expectancy for men and women is lower than regional and national averages, and there’s a gap of up to 10 years for men and eight years for women in the expected lifespan of those living in different parts of the city.

Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, cancer and liver disease are major causes of early death among Coventry’s under-75s. Cancer screening take-up is low, while cases of alcohol-related ill health and death are relatively high.

In Warwickshire, smoking, excess alcohol, obesity and a lack of physical activity are among the causes of poor health in later years, while the south of the county has a higher number of dementia cases than the national average.

Among the younger population, concerns include obesity, mental health issues, alcohol-related ill health and self-harm.

Our overarching research aim is to improve the quality of healthcare delivery to patients, in a system that is effective, efficient, and ensures equitable access to all.

Our key areas of clinical research expertise include improving management of long-term conditions, in particular diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors and atrial fibrillation; improving participation of all population groups in cancer screening; personalising therapeutics, improving medicines access and reducing adverse drug reactions; improving risk stratification and pathway management through urgent and emergency care; improving outcomes for those receiving end of life care; and improving maternal and perinatal health. We have a particular focus on digital pathology care delivery in the West Midlands and on digital management of multimorbidity.

Our research has a unifying thread of optimising care for all populations by increasing efficiency and reducing variation and cost in care delivery, as well as supporting proactive reductions in health inequalities with a demonstrable improvement in outcomes, especially for those under multimorbidity services.

We are proud of and further interested in, as a system in partnership with our local authorities, research in health inequalities, community support and early help.

You can read more about the work of Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care System by visiting our website.