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University of Suffolk opens new Institute of Health and Wellbeing as part of £13million Health and Wellbeing Quarter

By Sam Walker
Published: 14:29, 02 April 2022
 | Updated: 14:35, 02 April 2022

The University of Suffolk, in Ipswich, has marked an 'important step' after opening its new Institute of Health and Wellbeing.

The institute, which officially opened on Wednesday, will work collaboratively across a range of sectors, including academia, healthcare and business.

It will also be heavily research-based and look at improving people's participation in physical activity and sport, perinatal wellbeing and long-term conditions.

Professor Colin Martin, clinical director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, professor Valerie Gladwell, director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Lord Stevenson of Coddenham CBE, patron of Suffolk Mind and Noreen Cushen-Brewster, associate professor in Workforce Futures. All pictures: University of Suffolk.
Professor Colin Martin, clinical director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, professor Valerie Gladwell, director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Lord Stevenson of Coddenham CBE, patron of Suffolk Mind and Noreen Cushen-Brewster, associate professor in Workforce Futures. All pictures: University of Suffolk.

It is based in the university’s new £13million Health and Wellbeing Quarter, which will open later this spring.

Professor Helen Langton, vice-chancellor of the university, said the opening of the facility marked an 'important step'.

"We are investing in our research institutes and in a way that ensures that at the heart of our work is partnership and collaboration to improve population health," she said.

Professor Colin Martin, clinical director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, professor Valerie Gladwell, director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing and Lord Stevenson of Coddenham CBE, patron of Suffolk Mind.
Professor Colin Martin, clinical director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, professor Valerie Gladwell, director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing and Lord Stevenson of Coddenham CBE, patron of Suffolk Mind.

"These partnerships with the NHS, Social Care and wider wellbeing organisations put us in a brilliant position to achieve our goal to be known nationally and internationally for our research in health and wellbeing.”

Part of the Health and Wellbeing Quarter will be the Integrated Care Academy, a network of partnerships across the university, St Elizabeth Hospice, Suffolk Mind, Suffolk County Council, Healthwatch Suffolk and the NHS.

Lord Dennis Stevenson CBE, patron of Suffolk Mind, formerly opened the institute and said: “This institute is an exciting addition for Suffolk. It is brilliant that the University of Suffolk is one of the first in Britain to blaze a trail and come together with the Integrated Care System to improve population health.

"It’s a great achievement and I look forward to following its progress.

The University of Suffolk opened its new Institute of Health and Wellbeing on Wednesday.
The University of Suffolk opened its new Institute of Health and Wellbeing on Wednesday.

"Suffolk Mind and the University of Suffolk worked together on many projects in the past and we look forward to the institute bringing new research opportunities which will have a significant impact on health and wellbeing.”

Professor Valerie Gladwell, director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, said by growing the university's research culture, it could expand the work it was doing.

"By developing our external partnerships, we are looking forward to utilising our expertise to research and provide support for health and wellbeing challenges that exist here in Suffolk but are relevant worldwide," she said.

The new institute will draw upon research to look at improving people's wellbeing, physical activity and sport, perinatal wellbeing and long-term conditions.
The new institute will draw upon research to look at improving people's wellbeing, physical activity and sport, perinatal wellbeing and long-term conditions.

Professor Colin Martin, clinical director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, added: "The Institute for Health and Wellbeing will provide an incredible opportunity to develop clinical and applied research that is meaningful not only in terms of research gravitas academically, but in particular the application of such research to locally relevant health issues and clinical presentations of importance to the local population.

"A fundamental problem with clinical research is a long lead-in time to actual practice and incorporation into the clinical space.

"Thus, a focus of our exciting new institute is not only to undertake high quality research, but also to ensure the findings of such research where these are shown to be of significant patient benefit, are incorporated into clinical practice locally at the earliest opportunity."

Education Health Ipswich Suffolk Suffolk Homepage Sam Walker