PenARC’s Operational Research and Data Science Team has been nominated for the Health Data Research UK (HDRUK) Team of the Year Award, for their commitment to capacity building in health & social care organisations, and open, reproducible research.
Known as PenCHORD (Peninsula Collaboration for Health Operational Research and Data Science), the team were praised for their commitment to training and capacity building. PenCHORD’s flagship Health Service Modelling Associates (HSMA) programme is approaching its sixth iteration, providing free data science and modelling training to staff working in health, social care and policing organisations in England. Since its inception, the programme has led to the establishment of brand new modelling and Data Science roles within NHS organisations, support for the COVID-19 mass vaccination programme and significant career progression for analysts.
The PenCHORD Team
HDRUK were also struck by the diversity of public participants, team skills, and collaborations within PenCHORD’s research. They were particularly impressed by the active involvement of early-career researchers, including master’s students, providing valuable opportunities for development. In recent years the team has welcomed Amy Heather and Sammi Rosser, who both previously undertook the MSc for Health Data Science at University of Exeter. The team received a Reproducibility Recognition due to their commitment to reproducibility, with the team creating high-quality open-access educational materials, showcasing their commitment to providing valuable learning resources without restrictions.
Rony Arafin, Association for Professional Healthcare Analysts, said:
“It is difficult in a single paragraph to do justice to PenCHORD’s contribution, but particular highlights include: nationally leading research work in Stroke Modelling, the highly acclaimed Health Services Modelling Associates training programme, the active inclusion of patient and public involvement into modelling, their lead role in promoting UK networking in the application of modelling for health services, and the support for the recent initiative to build Secure Data Environments across the south-west.
PenCHORD has delivered a wide range of benefits for data science across a host of important dimensions and I am delighted in recommending them for the HDRUK Team of Year award.”
The team will find out if they have won at an award ceremony being held on 5th March.