Forth Valley University College NHS Partnership

The partnership will deliver transformational change to the health and social care of the area through the delivery of new learning and development opportunities for students and staff, and become a nerve centre for world-class research and innovation developed to directly respond to the needs of local people.

Local partnership and collaboration

The Forth Valley University College Health Partnership is an ambitious collaboration between University of Stirling, Forth Valley College and NHS Forth Valley which aims to improve patient care and treatment for communities across the region for years to come.

National partnership and collaboration

SPECTRUM brings together 11 Universities in the UK and one in Australia, leading collaborations that aim to improve health and reduce inequalities in the UK and further afield, along with Public Health England, Public Health Scotland and Public Health Wales, and others.

Global partnership and collaboration

The University of Stirling, in close collaboration with academic and non-academic members, health institutions, local authorities and NGOs across Malawi and Scotland, is engaged in a range of applied health across a range of research to develop cultures, communities and society, improve global security and resilience and developing and evaluating approaches and interventions to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Local community outreach

A collaboration with Paths for All and researchers from the University of Stirling and other organisations are creating a program that encourages local young people to walk more. As part of the programme of activity Stirling University’s Science of Steps event which welcomed a diverse range of attendees such as local families, young people and the research community showcased how small activity changes like walking or wheeling significantly improve health and wellbeing.

Outreach for disadvantaged people

Older people in Stirlingshire were among the first to trial new digital health and wellbeing activities co-designed by their peers, thanks to a University of Stirling initiative in partnership with Stirling Council and funded by Forth Valley and Lomond Community Led Local Development Programme (CLLD). Participants had the opportunity to get active by playing arcade-style video games linked to their body movements via a webcam, explore places through Virtual Reality, or get involved in online music and movement classes to help develop their balance and strength, and maintain independence.

Outreach with displaced communities

At the Festival of Social Science, Stirling researchers explored the day-to-day lives of twelve young people forced to seek asylum in a new country during the pandemic. Each young person met with a researcher for an interview, and then took part in workshops with different artists on storytelling, rapping, drawing, and/or photography. 

Young people shared their words and images, telling the stories of their daily lives as well as how it had been to arrive in Scotland and adjust to a new language, culture, and country during the pandemic. As well as deepening their creative skills, the young people also had an opportunity to develop their English language skills through support in groups and one-to-one with tutors.

Sport outreach

The Sports Centre at the University works with the local community in improving access to sports and wellbeing facilities such as the Parkrun, a free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event for all levels and ages. Those participating in the Parkrun often meet for coffee at the Universities Sports Centre Café, Nourish afterwards.

In addition to this, there are free trial lessons for Children’s Tennis, and we work with local partners to provide free access to facilities for school children groups including tennis festivals with Stirling’s sports and leisure trust, Active Stirling.

Lastly, free day passes, with access to all key facilities such as the gym, classes and swimming pool, are also made available to support campaigns of partner organisations such as the NHS, prison service and other local community groups.