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Background In the United Kingdom, local government is well placed to conduct and apply research regarding the wider determinants of health. However, local authorities often lack sufficient research infrastructure to support research capacity, capability and culture. Since 2022, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research has funded 30 Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) to develop this infrastructure. HDRCs are hosted by local authorities collaborating with universities and other partners to strengthen a culture of evidence-informed decision-making. HDRCs are conducting local evaluations, including baseline assessments of local authority research capacity, capability and culture. Methods A national peer-support group was formed to support shared learning amongst teams evaluating HDRCs. Here, as embedded evaluators from 10 HDRCs, we present reflections on the planning, delivery and interpretation of baseline assessments. Reflections were gathered via group discussions and written submissions. All 10 HDRC baseline assessments explored local authority research capacity, capability and culture, and two also studied early HDRC team collaboration. Results Competing priorities during early HDRC implementation called for pragmatic and timely baseline assessment methods. Most HDRCs developed baseline surveys, though interviews and focus groups were conducted by some. Despite similar aims, methods varied substantially according to local contexts. Evaluators often adapted existing validated survey tools, for example, from health settings, as none were identified for use across local government. Definitions of research also ranged from academic definitions to broader notions of evidence. Useful insights were gathered across diverse samples to aid implementation locally, however, low response rates were received to all-staff surveys and heterogeneous approaches limited comparison across HDRCs. Findings contributed to recommendations for evaluating and developing HDRC activities (e.g. communications and training provisions) appropriate for local authorities with stretched resources. Where measured, collaborations were functioning well, with recommendations to enhance communication. Conclusions The early contexts and challenges of HDRCs influenced pragmatic baseline assessments. Methods were often chosen to capture baseline contexts rapidly, and they will be refined and complemented by additional evaluation methods as HDRCs progress. Developing new validated measures and an agreed definition of research for local authorities may strengthen understanding of research capacity, capability and culture across local government.

Abstract Charitable arms of professional sports clubs and organizations (PSCOs) offer a range of health promotion (HP) programmes within communities, yet little is known about their role within approaches to HP, particularly from the view of key intersectoral partners. Our study explored the perceptions of the role of PSCOs within local approaches to HP from the perspective of multisectoral stakeholders in a southwest region of England. A qualitative single case study approach was implemented, undertaking semi-structured interviews (n = 23) with intersectoral stakeholders spanning the sport, public, voluntary, and health sectors. Findings suggest PSCOs were viewed as important organizations for provision of local HP due to their unique assets, such as stadia, branding, coaching staff and their presence within communities. However, their aims and objectives were unclear to stakeholders and often perceived as motivated by ‘brand drivers’ of the elite club, despite holding independent charitable status. Moreover, stakeholders were generally unaware of evaluation materials created by PSCOs and favoured the development of a co-produced evaluation framework for PSCOs. In conclusion, PSCOs should utilize existing community forums, networks, and working groups to better communicate organizational structure, aims, and provision amongst prospective partners. Better understanding of PSCOs structures and aims would support understanding of organizational readiness and requirements for future collaboration in intersectoral approaches to local HP. Moreover, local policymakers should consider how mutually beneficial partnerships with PSCOs could be formed, and how the unique assets, and reach, of PSCOs can be best utilized within intersectoral approaches to local HP.

Professional sports clubs and organisations (PSCOs) have been identified as effective organisations for health promotion (HP); however, their position and connectivity within local HP systems is largely unknown. Our research aimed to explore (i) who identifies PSCOs as a key partner within the delivery of local HP projects, (ii) who they collaborate with, and (iii) their perceived importance by network members. A social network analysis survey was completed by eighteen stakeholders within a South West region of England. Few organisations identified PSCOs as a key partner; however, influential organisations, such as the local authority, reported ties to them. Generally, PSCOs were not identified by network stakeholders as key organisations in the dissemination of HP knowledge or resources, such as project delivery or staffing. Limited relationships with voluntary and health sector organisations existed, and fostering such multisectoral relationships should be a priority for PSCOs in the future. PSCOs were not clearly integrated within the local HP system sampled and are siloed within their local HP activities and delivery. Future research and practice should explore how PSCOs’ assets could be best utilised with local HP and contribute towards local and national health priorities.

Effective physical activity messaging plays an important role in the pathway towards changing physical activity behaviour at a population level. The Physical Activity Messaging Framework (PAMF) and Checklist (PAMC) are outputs from a recent modified Delphi study. This sought consensus from an international expert panel on how to aid the creation and evaluation of physical activity messages. In this paper, we (1) present an overview of the various concepts within the PAMF and PAMC, (2) discuss in detail how the PAMF and PAMC can be used to create physical activity messages, plan evaluation of messages, and aid understanding and categorisation of existing messages, and (3) highlight areas for future development and research. If adopted, we propose that the PAMF and PAMC could improve physical activity messaging practice by encouraging evidence-based and target population-focused messages with clearly stated aims and consideration of potential working pathways. They could also enhance the physical activity messaging research base by harmonising key messaging terminologies, improving quality of reporting, and aiding collation and synthesis of the evidence.

Effective physical activity messaging plays an important role in the pathway towards changing physical activity behaviour at a population level. The Physical Activity Messaging Framework (PAMF) and Checklist (PAMC) are outputs from a recent modified Delphi study. This sought consensus from an international expert panel on how to aid the creation and evaluation of physical activity messages. In this paper, we (1) present an overview of the various concepts within the PAMF and PAMC, (2) discuss in detail how the PAMF and PAMC can be used to create physical activity messages, plan evaluation of messages, and aid understanding and categorisation of existing messages, and (3) highlight areas for future development and research. If adopted, we propose that the PAMF and PAMC could improve physical activity messaging practice by encouraging evidence-based and target population-focused messages with clearly stated aims and consideration of potential working pathways. They could also enhance the physical activity messaging research base by harmonising key messaging terminologies, improving quality of reporting, and aiding collation and synthesis of the evidence.

Current ground-based submillimeter instruments (e.g. SCUBA-2, SHARC-2 and LABOCA) have hundreds to thousands of detectors, sampled at tens to hundreds of hertz, generating up to hundreds of gigabytes per night. Since noise is correlated between detectors and in time, due to atmospheric signals and temperature oscillations, naive map-making is not applicable. In addition, the size of the data sets makes direct likelihood based inversion techniques intractable. As a result, the data reduction approach for most current submm cameras is to adopt iterative methods in order to separate noise from sky signal, and hence effectively produce astronomical images. We investigate how today's map-makers scale to the next generation of instruments, which will have tens of thousands of detectors sampled at thousands of hertz, leading to data sets of challenging size. We propose strategies for reducing such large data sets.

CCAT will be a 25m diameter sub-millimeter telescope capable of operating in the 0.2 to 2.1mm wavelength range. It will be located at an altitude of 5600m on Cerro Chajnantor in northern Chile near the ALMA site. The anticipated first generation instruments include large format (60,000 pixel) kinetic inductance detector (KID) cameras, a large format heterodyne array and a direct detection multi-object spectrometer. The paper describes the architecture of the CCAT software and the development strategy.

CCAT will be a 25-meter telescope for sub millimeter astronomy located at 5600m altitude on Cerro Chajnantor in northern Chile. CCAT will combine high sensitivity, a wide field of view, and a broad wavelength range (0.35 to 2.1mm) to provide an unprecedented capability for deep, large-area multicolor submillimeter surveys. It is planned to have a suite of instruments including large format KID cameras, a large heterodyne array and a KID-based direct detection multi-object spectrometer. The remote location drives a desire for fully autonomous observing coupled with data reduction pipelines and fast feedback to principal investigators.