Hatfield’s University of Hertfordshire will lead the way in a study looking at how data can be used to improve health and social care services.

More than £2.2 million has been granted for the National Institute for Health Research's (NIHR) four-year project, which aims to improve how different services - such as care staff, NHS professionals, family and social services - collaborate.

It will review how current care systems work, explore evidence on how to integrate data, and could shed new light on the best way to help the care home population.

The study's lead investigator Claire Goodman said: "Our aim is to create new ways of working and doing research in and with care homes, so that the outputs benefit not only the researchers, but also the residents."

Dr James Pickett, of the Alzheimer's Society, added that the study "will tackle a major unmet need".