Nazak Salehi is a Researcher at the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) and Research Coordinator at the Global Observatory of Long-Term Care (GOLTC). Nazak is passionate about analyzing the impacts of gender, race, and class on social care and health outcomes. Her work focuses on health and social care inequalities, with particular interests in perinatal mental health, dementia care, and long-term care systems. She is a Registered Pharmacist from Canada with specialization in Addictions and Mental Health Issues, Long Term Care Settings, and HIV Treatment and Prevention. At the GOLTC, she supports research and collaboration behind the scenes and has co-hosted our yearly celebration of the International Day of Care and Support.

We have asked Nazak:

• How did you start working on long-term care?

I began working on long-term care during my MSc in International Health Policy at LSE, where I was introduced to research at the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre. My earlier experience as a pharmacist in Canada exposed me to the inequalities many patients face in accessing care, particularly in long-term are settings. This motivated me to transition into research, where I have since worked on projects spanning dementia care, social care workforce, and preventive care in health and social care systems for perinatal mental health in refugee and asylum-seeking populations. Through this work, I have developed a strong interest in how long-term care intersects with broader issues of inequality and health and social care system design. 

• How do you think your work can help make a difference?

My aim is to generate evidence that can inform more equitable and effective health and social care systems. By focusing on inequalities, I aim to highlight gaps in access, quality, and outcomes of care with and suggest holistic policy improvements. I prioritize engaging with practitioners and people with lived experience to ensure that research findings are grounded in real-world needs and can support policy and practice improvements. Ultimately, I hope my work contributes to more inclusive and prevention-focused approaches to long-term care.

• What role has GOLTC played in supporting your work on long-term care?

The GOLTC has played a key role in supporting my work by providing a collaborative and international platform for research and knowledge exchange. Through the GOLTC, I have been able to engage with a diverse network of researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and those with lived-experiences, which has strengthened both the relevance and reach of my work. The Observatory also supports dissemination activities such as webinars and interest groups to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. It’s been amazing to learn from so many different experts!