Healthwatch Research Engagement Network Eastern European Community Sustainability Work

Healthwatch West Northamptonshire carried out sustainability work between December 2025 and March 2026 as part of the Research Engagement Network (REN) programme, which aims to improve participation in health and social care research among diverse communities. 

It builds on earlier projects from 2023 to 2025 that identified barriers to research engagement, particularly among the Eastern European population in Northamptonshire, who represent around 6.7% of the population and experience lower vaccination uptake and engagement with health services. 

Initial research found that Eastern European communities often had limited understanding of how to access NHS services, faced language barriers, and showed some distrust in healthcare systems, with many relying on social media for health information and misunderstanding research as clinical testing only. 

To address these issues, earlier work used culturally appropriate approaches such as translated materials, social media engagement, community events, and the involvement of a Romanian Community Coordinator to build trust and improve awareness of research opportunities. 

The 2025–2026 sustainability project aimed to maintain and expand these relationships, increase awareness of the NIHR “Be Part of Research” programme, and ensure information was accessible through translation and culturally relevant formats. 

The project used a combination of social media outreach, in-person community engagement, and partnership work with community organisations, including targeted efforts to engage underrepresented groups such as the Albanian community. 

Across the project, the team visited 55 locations, distributed around 2,000 translated and English-language flyers, and produced 19 social media posts that generated over 11,000 impressions, largely through Facebook community groups. 

Engagement activities included attending community events, visiting libraries and cultural centres, and participating in an Albanian cultural celebration, which helped build trust and encourage participation in research through direct conversations and culturally sensitive communication. 

Feedback from community members indicated that providing information in native languages increased confidence and inclusion, while informal face-to-face conversations and trusted online platforms were effective in encouraging interest in research participation. 

Overall, the project successfully sustained engagement with Eastern European communities and reinforced the importance of ongoing, culturally appropriate communication to support participation in research. 

The report concludes with recommendations that emphasise continued investment in community engagement, long-term relationship building, use of social media platforms, and translation of materials to improve accessibility and reduce health inequalities.