Health research festival to visit Rochdale on 30 May

CRN Greater Manchester team at a health research festival in Oldham

A health research festival will provide people in Rochdale with the opportunity to learn about and participate in health and care research, which can shape the future of the NHS.

Everyone is welcome to attend the free event, which will be held at Number One Riverside, Rochdale, OL16 1XU, on Thursday 30 May. The drop-in event will be open from 11am to 2pm, featuring games and stalls throughout.

The festival is the sixth to be organised by the Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester, part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). These festivals have been visiting towns around the region, and this one is coming to Rochdale in collaboration with the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

Throughout the event, there will be opportunities for free health checks and participation in several research studies aimed at improving health outcomes for people living in the region.

The studies at the festival are designed to be straightforward for the community to participate in. For example, attendees from the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities can provide a saliva sample for the Genes and Health study.

Additionally, parents can consent to their child having a finger-stick blood test to determine if they are at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes as part of the ELSA study.

The festival will also feature representatives from health and care services across the borough, including Rochdale Health Alliance, Living Well Rochdale, Rochdale Healthwatch, NHS Talking Therapies Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, and many more.

Susan Neeson, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester, said: “Our health research festivals have been proving a real success over the past year and we are really looking forward to teaming up with our partners in Rochdale for this latest instalment.

“Whether you can pop in for 15 minutes or an hour, attending the event is an engaging way to learn more about research and, if you want to, take part in a study there and then. It’s also a great chance to find out about the various health and care services and activities available in the Rochdale borough, all in a relaxed environment ideal for the half-term week.”

The event is suitable for all ages and will include free refreshments. Everyone is welcome.