‘A deeply inspiring visit to see research in action. By studying infections in a population too often excluded from data, this care home and the Vivaldi programme are actively driving the solutions needed for better, more dignified aging and living.’
Dr Gail Marzetti Director of Science, Research and Evidence, Department of Health and Social Care
The Vivaldi Social Care team recently had the pleasure of visiting Cedar Lodge Care Home in Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, for an afternoon of discussion, engagement and collaboration with people living in the home, relatives, care colleagues and national stakeholders.
Cedar Lodge is a beautiful 45-bedroom care home providing nursing care. What stood out most during our visit was the warm, homely atmosphere created by the people who live and work there.
We were welcomed by Claire Watson, Home Manager, and the wider EQ Care team, who had brought together residents, relatives, care colleagues and stakeholders to hear more about Vivaldi Social Care and the work taking place across the project.
The Vivaldi team presented an overview of the study, its progress and ambitions for the future. The presentation generated a fantastic response from the audience, with great enthusiasm alongside some thoughtful and extremely valuable questions.
These conversations are an important part of Vivaldi Social Care. Hearing directly from people living and working within social care, as well as relatives and wider sector partners, ensures that the project continues to be informed by the experiences, priorities and questions of those closest to care.
We were delighted to be joined by:
- Dr Gail Marzetti, Director of Science, Research and Evidence, Department of Health and Social Care
- Dr Nick Watkins, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser and Deputy Director for Health Protection Research, Department of Health and Social Care
- Helena Kerkham, NIHR Research Delivery Network Programme Lead for Residential Settings
- Kate Meacock, Rights for Residents – Lived Experience Campaigner
- Alexander Devkota, Senior Policy Officer, Care England
- Patrick Bell, National Partnerships Director, Care Quality Pharmacy
- Amanda Pattie, Agile Research Delivery Team Manager, Wider Care Settings | South Central Regional Research Delivery Network
Dr Gail Marzetti and Dr Nick Watkins both reflected at the end of the presentation, sharing their perspectives on the importance of the project, its future potential and how this work fits within the broader government, research and social care landscape.
“The Vivaldi study, born out of COVID-19, is a leading example of the impact that can be achieved by linking different health data sets. Visiting the care home to meet residents, staff and the study team was a timely reminder of the importance of the power of multi-disciplinary working to answer some of our most challenging questions.”
Dr Nick Watkins, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser and Deputy Director for Health Protection Research, Department of Health and Social Care
Having their expertise in the room added another valuable dimension to the discussion and reinforced the importance of strengthening the relationship between research, policy and the realities of delivering and receiving care.
Following the presentations, conversations continued across the room while enjoying refreshments provided by the Cedar Lodge team. The atmosphere was incredibly positive, with people exchanging ideas, experiences and questions and making new connections.
‘It was really interesting hearing more about the VIVALDI study, how it has developed and the positive experiences that the care home staff have had to date with the data collection study. I can see that there is a great opportunity for the data platform to inform future studies and in turn how we improve how we interact with social care organisations in the future.’
Amanda Pattie, Agile Research Delivery Team Manager, Wider Care Settings | South Central Regional Research Delivery Network
The feedback received throughout the visit has provided the Vivaldi Social Care team with plenty to take away, discuss and reflect upon. The energy in the room was infectious and the team left Cedar Lodge reflecting on the conversations that had taken place.
A huge thank you goes to Claire Watson and the entire Cedar Lodge and EQ Care team for their warmth, hospitality and openness, and to everyone who joined us and contributed so generously to the discussion.
Visits such as this are incredibly valuable to Vivaldi Social Care. Bringing together people who live and work in care homes, relatives, researchers, policymakers and sector partners creates opportunities for honest conversations and helps ensure that the voices of social care remain at the heart of research.
It was a pleasure to visit Cedar Lodge and gain further insights into the project. We look forward to continuing these conversations and working together to strengthen the evidence base for social care.
“Visits like this remind us why Vivaldi Social Care is so important. Bringing together people living in care homes, relatives, care colleagues, researchers and policymakers creates invaluable opportunities to listen, learn and shape the future of social care research together. The warmth, openness and enthusiasm shown by everyone at Cedar Lodge demonstrated the collective commitment to improving outcomes for people living and working in care homes, and we are incredibly grateful for their support.”
Zoë Fry OBE, Director of Nursing the Outstanding Society CIC and Vivaldi Social Care Team Representative
