Barking and Dagenham Council has signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding with Queen Mary University of London’s SHAPE Institute for Health (SHAPE Health).
The council said this marks the first formal societal partnership of its kind between a local authority and a Russell Group university.
Council leader Dominic Twomey said: “Pioneering new research like this starts here in Barking and Dagenham.
“This is a truly groundbreaking partnership – one that brings together world-class academic expertise with the lived experience of our communities.
“By working with Queen Mary University of London, we’re unlocking the kind of insight we need to tackle the deep health inequalities in our borough.
“Their trans-disciplinary approach – linking health with housing, employment, education, and social care – will help us understand the full picture of what it means to ‘be well’.
“Together, we’re not just improving services – we’re reimagining how society supports health from the ground up.”
The agreement was formally ratified at Barking Town Hall.
SHAPE Health combines Queen Mary’s research and teaching with the lived experience and knowledge of Barking and Dagenham residents and council partners.
The partnership coincides with Barking and Dagenham’s selection as one of 43 areas in England to join the first wave of the NHS National Neighbourhood Health Programme, which aims to shift care into communities and strengthen early intervention.
The council believes that persistent health inequalities in the borough are place-based rather than purely intergenerational, as similar disparities are seen among both long-term and newer residents.
Through the SHAPE Institute’s expertise, the council hopes to better understand and address these challenges.
Professor Arunthathi Mahendran, director of the SHAPE Institute for Health, said: “At SHAPE Health we are developing a transdisciplinary approach.
“This is where colleagues from the arts, humanities, social sciences and healthcare disciplines work closely with our community partners to reimagine health through the everyday lives and experiences of our east London residents and neighbourhoods.
“We believe that health is about possibility: the chance to live a life that feels rich, connected and purposeful.”
