St Mary’s University has launched its Centre for Applied Health and Wellbeing, bringing together research and collaboration to address real-world health and wellbeing challenges.
The launch took place on Friday 9 October at Celebrating World Mental Health Day 2026: Research, Voices & Collaboration at The Exchange in Twickenham. The event brought together policymakers, NHS organisations, community groups, healthcare professionals, researchers and people with lived experience to explore how evidence and collaboration can help improve health and wellbeing.
The event also marked the launch of Availability Is Not Accessibility, a White Paper led by Dr Arlinda Cerga Pashoja, examining barriers migrant communities face when accessing digital primary and mental healthcare in London.
Research with real-world impact
The Centre for Applied Health and Wellbeing aims to connect interdisciplinary research with policy, professional practice and communities, helping address challenges in health and wellbeing.
The White Paper demonstrates the importance of this approach, exploring how barriers can arise throughout the healthcare journey, from registering with a GP to accessing consultations, referrals and treatment.
It sets out nine practical recommendations for improving digital healthcare pathways and is accompanied by a Toolkit to help healthcare providers and community organisations assess their services and identify improvements.
Dr Cerga Pashoja said: “Digital healthcare only works when people can understand it, trust it and get help when they need it. We need to look beyond whether a service is available online and ask whether people can actually navigate it and access the care they need. That means designing pathways around people's experiences, with human support and alternatives when digital routes create barriers.”
Bringing research, practice and lived experience together
The event's panel discussion explored the gap between policy ambitions and people's experiences of accessing services. Contributors highlighted how language, trust and cultural differences can affect access to healthcare, as well as the challenges professionals face when translating policy into practice.
Discussions also emphasised the importance of involving people with lived experience in shaping services and ensuring research leads to practical improvements.
The event reflected the importance of bringing researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and communities together to identify barriers, share expertise and develop approaches that can make a meaningful difference.
Join the centre
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