New emergency care research hub for Bristol launched

UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol have joined forces with healthcare partners in the city to set up a collaborative research hub to improve the delivery of emergency care in Bristol and the surrounding area. The new hub, Research in Emergency Care, Avon Collaborative Hub (REACH), was launched today (Friday, 9 October).
In 2019, an average of 70,231 people attended accident and emergency departments (A&E) each day in England. GPs offered one million appointments a day, 50% of which are for same day appointments and urgent problems.
Both universities have well-established research programmes in urgent and emergency care. At UWE Bristol, through the Centre for Health and Clinical Research, the focus is on emergency hospital admissions, hospital care and ambulance services, while at the University of Bristol, through its Centre for Academic Primary Care, the emphasis is on general practice and community-based services.
REACH will align researchers from the two universities to create a more formal collaboration. They will work closely with local health and care providers and commissioners, sharing priorities, expertise and resources to coordinate and strengthen research capacity, development and infrastructure.
REACH will be led by a co-director from each of the two universities with links to relevant Health Integration Teams, NHS commissioners, health and care providers, the Applied Research Collaboration West, the West of England Academic Health Sciences Network, other higher education institutes, healthcare providers and commissioners across the wider South West, in close collaboration with patient and public groups.
Jonathan Benger, Professor of Emergency Care at UWE Bristol and National Institute for Health Research Senior Investigator, said: “The city of Bristol has a growing national and international reputation for high-quality research in urgent and emergency care. REACH will cement this reputation and deliver huge benefits for the NHS, patients and the professionals involved in their care.”
Sarah Purdy, Professor of Primary Care and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience), at the University of Bristol, added: “This exciting new collaboration will help us develop the region’s emergency care research portfolio and attract further funding for research.
“It also gives us the opportunity to provide academic support to health care services locally and nationally who are looking to co-design services, get involved in research or evaluate services to inform health care priorities and provision.
Related news

24 April 2025
Laying Pluckley’s ghosts to rest: new research uncovers the truth about the most haunted village in England
New research from UWE Bristol has solved a series of tantalising mysteries associated with Pluckley in Kent, known as the ‘most haunted village in England’.

16 April 2025
UWE Bristol academic paper named as one of this century’s most-cited
A UWE Bristol academic has co-authored the third most-cited academic paper of this century, according to new analysis released by research journal Nature.

16 April 2025
More than 80 UK projects receive nearly £1.2 million in first Immersive Arts funding round
Almost £1.2 million has been allocated to 83 artist-led projects across the UK.

11 April 2025
UWE Bristol academics among emerging scientific leaders to receive share of £7.6m for health research
Two UWE Bristol researchers are among the recipients of a £7.6 million investment from the Academy of Medical Sciences aimed at tackling urgent health challenges.

09 April 2025
New research to support a thriving health and care workforce is launched
A national research partnership will explore ways to support wellbeing and sustainability in the NHS and social care same day and urgent care workforce.

08 April 2025
Associate Professor named among newest members of UK Young Academy of emerging leaders
The Royal Society has named UWE Bristol’s Dr Alexandros Stratakos, Associate Professor and Principal Investigator in Sustainable Agri-Food Production, as one of the emerging leaders across the UK who are the newest members of the UK Young Academy.

03 April 2025
Interdisciplinary studio bridging the gap between creative industries and technology opens at UWE Bristol
A new £3.6m laboratory has opened at UWE Bristol which will provide a unique arts, humanities and technologies multi-disciplinary space for researchers, entrepreneurs and businesses across the West of England.

28 February 2025
Paramedics in GP surgeries may ease workload but not NHS costs, study finds
Paramedics working in GP surgeries help reduce GP workload but do not contribute to cost savings to the NHS, according to the first major study of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of paramedic compared with GP consultations.

11 February 2025
Comics could help explain science in court, study finds
Comics explaining the complexities of forensic science in simple terms could improve understanding for jurors in court cases, research conducted at UWE Bristol suggests.

06 February 2025
Opinion: ‘We’re ensuring people have access to diverse images for healthcare’
Flicking through the pages of academic medical textbooks back in 2022, our team spotted a surprising omission: a stark absence of images of health conditions on darker skin tones.

03 February 2025
Groundbreaking UWE Bristol project based on children’s lived experiences of racism in the UK set to transform police training
UWE Bristol researchers have worked with over 1,000 primary-aged children to explore everyday experiences of racism to inform future police training.

30 January 2025
Women exercising in gyms face barriers including body image and harassment, study finds
Women exercising in gyms often feel judged for their appearance and performance, leading to a persistent sense of inadequacy, according to a new study.