It’s vital that our research reflects and meets the needs of the communities we serve.
Over recent years our Research Inclusion Team has driven meaningful change across research, workforce development, public involvement and national policy, helping to ensure that inclusion is not simply an aspiration, but a core part of how all of our research is designed, delivered and evaluated.
From co-designing new resources with public contributors to influencing national policy discussions and supporting major grant applications, the team’s work is making a tangible difference both locally and nationally.
Embedding inclusion across research
Inclusive research is increasingly becoming business as usual across the NIHR BRC Leicester.
Research studies are now routinely collecting participant equality monitoring data using a standardised approach aligned with the NIHR Diversity Research Question Set.
Following the co-design of a new Public Involvement Equality Monitoring Form (detailed below), the updated questions are available for use across BRC studies and programmes, supporting greater consistency and helping researchers better understand the populations they are reaching.
The use of Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) is also gaining momentum across the research portfolio. Supported by colleagues from the University’s Centre for Ethnic Health Research (CEHR) and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands, researchers are increasingly embedding EIAs into study design, delivery and funding applications.
This work is supporting researchers at every career stage, including doctoral students, to identify and address potential barriers to participation from the outset.
We have also included inclusion monitoring in to the NIHR BRC’s Core Outcome Set (which members of the BRC can access via the BRC Resource Hub).
Co-designing for impact
A major achievement this year has been the co-design and implementation of a new Public Involvement Equality Monitoring Form, mentioned above.
The initiative began in response to feedback from public contributors who highlighted opportunities to improve the usability, accessibility and transparency of the existing form.
A co-design workshop brought together 22 public contributors and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) representatives from a range of ethnic backgrounds and lived experiences. Participants worked alongside the Inclusion Team to identify areas for improvement and help shape a more accessible approach to equality monitoring.
Feedback from the workshop led to several important improvements, including:
- Clearer and more inclusive language
- Improved accessibility and ease of completion
- Greater transparency around why equality information is collected
- Development of a short introductory video explaining how data will be used
The revised Equality Monitoring Form was launched in April 2026 and is now being implemented across BRC public involvement activities, helping to strengthen understanding of who is engaging with research and where further efforts should be directed.
Empowering an inclusion-sensitive workforce
Building an inclusive research culture requires an inclusive and informed workforce.
Over the past year, the BRC has continued to invest in training and development opportunities that equip staff with the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to support inclusive research practice.
Training impact
- More than 300 staff have completed the BRC’s Core Inclusion Training
- 84 BRC and CRF staff have completed Neurodiversity Training
- More than 340 staff across the BRC and partner organisations have completed Active Bystander Training
- 84 BRC and CRF staff attended face-to-face sessions on the NIHR Sex and Gender Policy (2025)
- A further 39 staff attended online BRCAKES sessions covering the policy
The Neurodiversity Training programme was developed directly in response to feedback from participants in the Inclusion Training programme, who identified a desire for deeper learning in this area.
Co-designed with ten contributors, the programme has since been delivered across the NIHR BRC and CRF Leicester, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University, helping create more accessible and inclusive research and working environments.
To extend its reach further, an online version of the Core Inclusion Training is now available to BRC and wider NIHR infrastructure colleagues, supporting the BRC’s ambition of achieving 90% workforce completion by the end of Year 5
Further inclusion-focused learning resources are also being developed by an inclusion-aligned PhD student, ensuring that training continues to evolve in response to staff needs.
You can contact the BRC’s Training and Capacity Development team for more information on brctraining@leicester.ac.uk
Influencing change nationally
The impact of Leicester’s Inclusion Team extends well beyond the region.
Dr Natalie Darko: Leading Change
As Director of Inclusion, Dr Natalie Darko continues to provide strategic leadership locally and nationally.
Her work includes:
- Serving as an expert adviser to the National Neonatal and Maternal Health Investigation chaired by Baroness Amos.
- Contributing to policy development through the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
- Receiving the Black Maternal Health Excellence Award at the National Maternal Health Conference in recognition of her leadership and impact.
Dr Darko has also contributed to a University of Leicester Institute for Policy briefing that outlined recommendations arising from the Ockenden Review and the Amos Review, highlighting actions needed to improve Black maternal health outcomes and address inequalities in care.
Key recommendations include:
- Establishing a national target to eliminate disparities in black maternal health outcomes.
- Implementing robust evaluation and impact assessment frameworks for maternal health equity initiatives.
- Embedding the voices and experiences of black mothers within healthcare policy and service improvement.
The BRC’s national influence is further demonstrated through partnerships with other Biomedical Research Centres, including collaborative inclusion work with colleagues in Sheffield, Birmingham and Oxford, helping to shape a shared agenda for inclusive research across the NIHR infrastructure.
Professor Kamlesh Khunti
Professor Kamlesh Khunti continues to influence national policy and practice through his leadership roles with the Centre for Ethnic Health Research (CEHR), the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration and wider national advisory groups.
His work to improve ethnicity data quality and tackle health inequalities continues to inform national research and healthcare priorities.
Supporting funding success through inclusion
Over the past year, the Inclusion Team has played an important role in strengthening the inclusivity of major research funding applications.
The team has supported more than 50 high-profile grant applications, including awards funded by The British Heart Foundation, Breast Cancer Now and Diabetes UK.
By helping researchers embed inclusion from the earliest stages of study design, the team is contributing to more competitive funding applications and stronger research proposals.
A research culture to be proud of
Recent research culture surveys highlight the positive impact of these efforts.
Among 151 directly BRC-funded staff, only 1% reported that their research team did not value diversity and inclusion. These findings were reinforced by a wider survey involving 418 respondents across the BRC and partner organisations:
- 83% agreed that their team actively supports diversity and inclusion.
- More than 80% described their research environment as collaborative.
- A substantial majority reported that senior leaders actively support research activity.
The BRC’s commitment to widening participation is also reflected in doctoral recruitment. During the most recent E3 PhD recruitment cycle:
- 75% of successful applicants were female.
- 37% were from minority ethnic backgrounds.
These figures demonstrate continued progress towards building a more diverse and representative research workforce.
A further Research Culture Survey is planned for 2027 to assess continued progress, with a manuscript currently in development to share findings more widely.
Inclusion in Action: showcasing inclusive research
One of the highlights of the last year was the Inclusion in Action event, held as part of the BRC’s Half-Time Celebrations.
The event brought together researchers, public contributors, community partners and healthcare professionals to share examples of how inclusion is being actively embedded across research programmes and activities.
Event highlights
- More than 70 attendees
- Over 40 presenters
- 13 research projects transformed into visual stories
The event showcased examples of inclusive research practice, community engagement and partnership working from across the BRC. It also provided valuable opportunities for learning, reflection and collaboration, demonstrating how inclusive approaches are shaping every stage of the research lifecycle.
Looking ahead
The BRC Leicester’s Inclusion Team has established a strong foundation for inclusive research practice and continues to build momentum across every aspect of the organisation.
Through innovative co-design approaches, workforce development, public involvement, grant support and national leadership, inclusion is becoming increasingly embedded in how research is conducted and experienced.
As new resources are implemented, training programmes expand and national collaborations grow, the Leicester BRC is helping to ensure that inclusive research becomes not the exception, but the standard.
By working alongside researchers, public contributors and communities, the team is helping create a research culture where everyone has the opportunity to participate, contribute and benefit from health research.