Co-producing research on universal health system reform in the context of COVID-19

Abstract Issue How to co-produce and embed research into universal health system reform implementation in the context of COVID-19. In many respects the pandemic revolutionised the use of data and research, with near real-time data informing key health policy and system decisions. This was evident in the production of publicly available data sets tracking COVID-19 infection as well as health system dashboard tracking activity in real-time and influencing day-to-day decisions made. How can this use of data and research evidence become the norm for all health system reform and policy decisions? Results The Foundations’ research project is a partnership project in place since Autumn 2019. Initially focused on producing evidence to inform the design and implementation of new regional areas with the Department of Health Sláintecare Reform Office and the Irish national Health Service Executive as partners. When COVID-19 occurred all work on the regions was paused the research pivoted to harness the learnings form the COVID-19 response to inform universal health system reform. The partnership applied research nature of the programme allowed research to be coproduced and co-designed with health system leaders, meant the researchers understood if and when it was possible to engage with partners and how to feed result into the health system at the earliest opportunity. Lessons Trust and pre-existing working relationships with partners allowed the research to pivot and to continue during the pandemic. The applied partnership nature of the research meant that at times the health system was very engaged in the research and at other times (eg during COVID waves and surges or the cyber-attack) there was limited engagement. The co-production nature of the research allowed a dynamic, ongoing, two-way learning between the health system and the research team. It is extremely difficult to measure impact of research on health system and reform decisions.