About CHSS

CHSS is one of the top five health services research units in the UK and an international centre of excellence of health services research and research training.

CHSS provides

  • high quality research that supports the development of health and social care
  • research groups with a reputation for high quality and efficient delivery
  • a research unit which supports collaboration with health and social care nationally and internationally
  • high quality teaching to develop expertise in health research with opportunities for progression and a stimulating environment.

CHSS activity is policy and practice relevant, theoretically and empirically grounded and based on participation and engagement with service users, professionals and policy-makers.

History

The Centre for Health Services Studies began in 1971 as the university’s health service research unit. It was rebranded the Centre for Health Services Studies on 4th July 1989, with Professor John Butler as Director. Previous Directors have included Professor Lou Opit and Professor Michael Calnan. 

The centre was known for its Apple a Day health and lifestyle surveys conducted during the 1970’s and 80’s in Brighton, Worthing, North Hampshire, Argyll and Clyde.

This skills legacy led to the creation in 2002 of the CHSS Health and Social Survey Unit.  The survey unit has conducted health and lifestyle surveys on behalf of Kent County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council and the States of Guernsey Government.
 
A series of rapid reviews of service innovations were carried out for the NHS when the South East Institute for Public Health was absorbed into CHSS in 2001.

During 2008 CHSS set up the South East Trials Unit headed by Professor Simon Coulton to provide support for all stages of constructing small and large scale surveys. 

Following the closure of the Kent Institute for Medicine and Health Sciences in 1998,  the Addictions Behaviour Group brought their teaching and research programmes to CHSS.

In 2009, CHSS was awarded a contract by the Department of Health to run one of ten National Institute of Health Research, Research Design Services. CHSS and the Universities of Surrey and Brighton were awarded over five million pounds to provide research support services for the next five years to the NHS in Kent, Surrey and Sussex through the Research Design Service South East. 

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