Identifying local priorities for research with linked routine data: an online workshop method

Priority setting with patients, public and professionals is essential for research utilising routinely collected data, as this ensures data are being used in the public interest. However, it is challenging to identify research priorities that are relevant to a wide range of local stakeholders and can be addressed with routinely collected data.

To describe and present the results of a priority setting exercise aiming to identify research priorities for Born in Bradford for All (BiB4All), a routine data linkage cohort of mothers and babies born in Bradford, a city in the north of England.

We developed a two-hour online workshop to engage a range of stakeholders across Bradford, including parents, early years practitioners, commissioners, and service providers. The workshop method combined elements of existing priority setting approaches to ensure priorities were identified in an inclusive, timely and deliberative way, and supported stakeholders to develop their understanding of using linked routine data for research.

The workshop identified seventeen important and urgent research priorities around child and maternal health for research with locally linked routine data. Key topic areas included maternal and infant mental health, the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on maternal and child health outcomes, inequalities in access to services, and infant feeding experiences.

The identified research priorities have been shared widely amongst interested networks and have shaped the BiB4All research agenda, demonstrating the feasibility of the stakeholder engagement method. They also have important implications for policy and practice. For policy, they provide an understanding of the key issues faced by local communities, which can steer policy priorities and investment in evidence generation. For practice, involvement in the workshop has generated a greater understanding of how local service data can be used for research and to inform improvements to service delivery.