In 2026, ADASS national launched a new research group to help shape regional and national adult social care research.
As part of its 2026/27 programme, they invited WM-ADASS to share it's research journey for the benefit of other regions. We used the metaphor of a circular bus ride to present this in a ADASS webinar held on 23 September 2026.
The video immediately below provides a taster of the various sessions and you can see the full recording in our innovation hub.
Or you can look at clips of individual sessions further down the page.
Taster video for whole session
Clip 1: Introduction
Pete Jackson, WM-ADASS Improvement Director explains why Birmingham's no 11 circular bus route serves as an apt metaphor for the WM-ADASS research journey, while Professor Robin Miller describes the how the research programme's underpinning relationship between the University and WM-ADASS was built.
Clip 2: CONNECT
Sandra Simpson, WM-ADASS Research Engagement Lead and Catherine Holden, Research Facilitator for Social Workers, describe their work to engage social care practitioners with research and demonstrate how research can and should inform practice.
Clip 3: VOICES
WM-ADASS Co-production Lead Keymn Whervin talks the VOICES activity within the Research Programme, which is building a roadmap to embed meaningful co-production in adult social care research. This is not just to ensure that people with lived experience are are involved in research, but also to ensure that research is designed, right from the beginning, with both academics and the community. Colleagues Sophie Davies, WM-ADASS research facilitator for co-production, and Robin Chapell an expert by experience who has worked across the health and care system for many year, also contribute to this segment.
Clip 4: Data
in this segment, Paul Johnston, an associate with West Midlands ADASS talks about the design, administration and oversight of the region's data tools - or as he puts it, how the WM ADASS Data Hub is helping social care teams to access and use the data that they need to do their jobs effectively.
Clip 5: Practice example
How can research activity feed into practice? in this clip Joe Turnbull who is the WM-ADASS Associate for occupational therapy, and Catherine Holden, WM-ADASS Research Facilitator for Social Workers, describe two different research projects and their practical application to occupation therapy and social work practice.
Clip 6: health and care integration
Brendan Clifford, a former associate of West Midlands ADASS describes how his research that has followed developments in health and care integration over recent years in the West Midlands has been presented at the International Conference on Integrated Care 2026 and has just been published in an academic journal.
Clip 7: An Inspector calls
So far, we've heard about relationships, evidence, practice and collaboration. But sooner or later somebody has to ask the question is this actually making a difference? That somebody is Mark Fitton, the strategic director for adults and communities at Worcestershire County Council. Mark also sponsors the the the West Midlands Commissioning Network and is one of the vice chairs for West Midlands ADASS.
Clip 8: Takeaways
Katherine Hudson is the West Midlands ADASS associate who is responsible for developing and supporting on the research programme. In this segment she answers the question, what might another region do first if it wants to initiate and embed research led improvement? Getting started does not neccessarily need to begin with a defined research project, funding or partnership with a university. The place to start, she says, is with a real practice issue. What's the problem we're trying to solve? What keeps practitioners awake at night? What do people who draw on care and support want to see improved?