The South West Offender Health Research Network (SWOHRN) was established in 2006 and endeavours to facilitate research across the offender health management system and to build new alliances across the different sectors of the criminal justice and health systems.
Our ethos is to support those working in the South West to improve health and wellbeing of offenders, through collaboration with partners within the NHS, social care, the criminal justice system, third sector organisations and universities.
We aim to facilitate research that can contribute to the provision of quality health and social care services for offenders, equivalent to that of society at large. This involves building partnerships between all agencies that work with offenders and integrating health and social development into the core business of these key organisations.
The SWOHRN helps to keep those working and researching into offender health informed of regional research developments through its programme of seminars, the website and newsletter.
The aim of the Project is to foster a sustainable andcollaborative research culture and infrastructure across criminal justice settings in the South-West of England, through:
- Promoting health and social care research and development across the offender pathway, reflecting local and regional needs and priorities;
- Facilitating and supporting multi-disciplinary, multi-agency research collaboration;
- Developing the network of research-active, collaborating prisons and criminal justice settings;
- Harnessing local expertise in research ethics and governance, research methodologies and research funding;
- Developing and facilitating research training opportunities within the region;
- Sharing research intelligence and expertise (via printed and electronic media);
- Developing the website to support the project;
- Organising stakeholder meetings and events to acknowledge and share experiences and expertise.
- Disseminating relevant national research