Stronger research environments through increased collaboration

How can research in health and social care be strengthened through deeper collaboration between municipalities, regional authorities, and academia? That was the starting point when representatives from the Municipality of Skellefteå, Region Västerbotten, Umeå University, and Luleå University of Technology gathered for a joint afternoon session focused on research environments, strategic choices, and future collaborations.

The meeting began with Göran Larsson, Director of Research and Development for Region Västerbotten, presenting the region’s research policy as well as the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions’ (SKR) report on the conditions for research in primary care. The presentation emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration between the region, municipalities, and academia to enable relevant, practice-oriented research.

Photo: Jeanette Beckman Rehnman, Department of Nursing in Skellefteå. Magnus Zingmark, associate professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, in conversation with Göran Larsson, Director of Research and Development at Region Västerbotten.

"To successfully transition to community-based care, we need research that takes the entire care continuum into account. This requires close, long-term collaboration between the region, the municipality, and academia ,"says Göran Larsson, director of FoUi.

Photo: Göran Larsson, Director of R&D at Region Västerbotten, in conversation with Ida Lindh, Research and Development Strategist at Skellefteå Municipality, Campus Skellefteå.

During the afternoon, current research environments within Skellefteå Municipality, Campus Skellefteå, and Region Västerbotten were presented, as were ongoing and planned research initiatives within the municipality’s health and social care services. Participants also heard about experiences from previous collaboration between the region and the municipality, where the need for shared structures and clear points of contact was highlighted.

Katarzyna Wikström, Head of Administration at the Social Services Office, and Ingrid Thylin, Head of Administration for Culture and Leisure, both from Skellefteå Municipality, emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration. New laws are driving the need for enhanced collaboration related to health and well-being. At the same time, they highlighted the complexity that characterizes research at the intersection of different governing bodies, management systems, and legislation. New regulations and reforms in the field are contributing to increased demands—but also opportunities—for collaboration.

Photo: Ove Andrén, Medical Advisor at RCC-Norr, Region Västerbotten, in conversation with Magnus Zingmark, Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, and Marianne Degerman, physical therapist, project manager at the Development Unit of Skellefteå Municipality, and doctoral student.

COVID-19 research is a clear example. Much of the research was conducted within specialized healthcare, while a large portion of the patient population was in the municipal healthcare system. This shows how dependent we are on one another to get the full picture, summarizes Ove Andrén, Medical Advisor at RCC-Norr in Region Västerbotten

The meeting concluded with a workshop and joint discussions focused on how research in health and social care can be linked locally and regionally. Key issues concerned existing hubs in Skellefteå, the identification of common research questions, methodological support, recruitment, and how the municipality and region can work together to attract researchers and doctoral students.

Sofia Andersson, process manager at the Northern Regional Cancer Center and researcher at Umeå University, in conversation with Ida Lindh, Research and Development Strategist at Skellefteå Municipality, Campus Skellefteå.

Skellefteå is currently home to several research environments in the field of health and social care, operating within the municipality, at the hospital, and at Campus Skellefteå. “To strengthen research, we need to do a better job of connecting these environments. It is particularly encouraging that the local doctoral students found common ground and clearly saw the value of continued exchange of experiences, methodological support, and jointly formulated research questions,” says Ida Lindh, Research and Development Strategist at Skellefteå Municipality.

Overall, the meeting represented a significant step in the work to establish long-term structures for research and innovation in healthcare and social services in Skellefteå. Particular focus was placed on formulating research questions based on the needs of the operations and the current state of knowledge, as well as on creating conditions for sustainable networks and research collaboration. The goal is to strengthen both operational development and knowledge-based healthcare and social services.

The meeting was attended by managers, leaders, researchers, and doctoral students from the Municipality of Skellefteå, Region Västerbotten, Umeå University, and Luleå University of Technology. The doctoral students particularly emphasized the importance of long-term networks, shared meeting spaces, and clear structures for collaboration—both during their doctoral studies and in the next phase following the defense of their dissertations.