University Initiative to Address China Health Challenges

The University of Nottingham has launched an initiative which aims to address major public health challenges in China through research, education and training.

China is facing a number of public health challenges, particularly chronic diseases in an ageing population, such as diabetes, dementia, heart conditions and respiratory problems.

The University of Nottingham Health China initiative will support collaborative health research and teaching between The University of Nottingham, and a range of partners in the healthcare sector based both in the UK and China.

Research collaborations
The objective of Nottingham Health China is to increase the amount and quality of research which is taking place between UK and Chinese healthcare institutions, by facilitating interactions between UK and China based researchers and clinicians. It also aims to become the gateway for other UK public and private healthcare providers to enter the Chinese market.

Nottingham Health China will also contribute to the provision of healthcare education in China by providing high quality programmes tailored to China’s healthcare sector needs, and will also engage with both the government and Chinese private sector.

Nottingham Health China Lead, Professor Richard Hubbard, from The University of Nottingham, together with education professionals from both the UK and China officially launched the initiative.

Improving public health
Speaking about the initiative, Professor Hubbard said: “Nottingham Health China is an exciting opportunity for researchers, educators and health care professionals from a wide range of backgrounds in Nottingham and Ningbo to come together and work on projects to improve public health both in the UK and China”.

Researchers will be focusing on a number of key work strands of the initiative, including nursing and midwifery, mental health, medical education, healthcare software, epidemiology and other key areas of need.

Several healthcare partnerships between The University of Nottingham and China have already been established. Following the launch of the Evidence-Based Healthcare Centre in November 2015, which is a part of the Nottingham Health China initiative, a group of health experts from the University visited partner organisations in Ningbo and successfully organised a symposium on Evidence-Based Healthcare early in 2016.

In another initiative, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences hosted visiting scholars from Ningbo local hospitals from urology, respiratory medicine, and radiology specialities.

Vital role
Professor John Atherton, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine and Health services at The University of Nottingham, believes that Nottingham Health China has a vital role to play, he said:   “The UK and China face many similar health challenges. In line with the ‘Health China 2030’ vision approved in August 2016, the Nottingham Health China initiative will address key healthcare issues relevant to Ningbo and Nottingham, focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles, improving health services and developing health industries”.