Warwick Evidence
Research Strategy
Warwick Evidence
ID number: WE CS V1
Norman Waugh, Amy Grove
Date
Division of Health Sciences
Warwick Medical School
The University of Warwick
Signed ...................................................................................Date.......................................
Signed ...................................................................................Date.......................................
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Contents
1.
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
2.
PRIORITIES .................................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 Delivery on our core contract ................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Publishing in high impact journals........................................................................................... 4
2.3. Achieving grant funding for SECONDARY RESEARCH .................................................... 4
2.4. Achieving grant funding for Primary research ...................................................................... 5
2.5. Fostering Specialist interests .................................................................................................. 5
2.6. Developing capacity ................................................................................................................. 5
The future .......................................................................................................................................... 6
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1.
Introduction
Warwick Evidence is a health services research unit with a primary focus on health technology
assessment (HTA). Warwick Evidence undertakes reviews and evidence synthesis on the clinical and
cost effectiveness of health care interventions for the NIHR HTA Programme and for a range of
research funders and policy makers, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
(NICE). It is one of nine Technology Appraisal Review Teams who have a core contract to deliver
reviews for NICE and other NHS policy-making bodies. Our current contract runs from April 2016 to
March 2021. Our high-level aim is to carry out research that will lead to improvements in health
care, either directly by facilitating the introduction of cost-effective new treatments, or indirectly by
restricting spending on interventions that are not cost effective in order to preserve funds for more
useful forms of care.
Warwick Evidence’s priority function is to provide NICE with evidence for decisions on whether to
recommend technologies (drugs, other treatments, devices and diagnostics) for use within the NHS.
Each year Warwick Evidence delivers a mix of long and short Technology Appraisals for the NIHR HTA
Programme, NICE and others such as the National Screening Committee.
Based in Warwick Medical School (WMS), Warwick Evidence brings together experts in clinical and
cost effectiveness reviewing, epidemiology, health economics, public health, screening and
diagnostics, psychology, statistics and modelling. The multidisciplinary team undertakes research
collaboratively with several groups across WMS and departments at the University of Warwick and is
supported by clinical and methodological advisors at both local and international level. We are an
academic research group within the Populations, Evidence and Technologies grouping in the Division
of Health Sciences. The Warwick Evidence research strategy has themes which match the wider
divisional research strategy. Members of staff work together with groups such as the Warwick
Preventive Heart Group and Warwick Clinical Trials Unit.
Purpose of this strategy document
The purpose of this strategy is to encourage research excellence through:
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A focus on key research areas
High quality research outputs
Optimum research impact
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The research strategy aims to complement the wider strategies being developed in WMS. Our
research strategy encourages us towards significant increases in grant income every year, as well as
increased impact by publications and citations in peer reviewed journals. Our research development,
training and findings will complement our undergraduate and post graduate teaching in WMS.
2.
PRIORITIES
2.1 Delivery on our core contract
We will deliver the requirements of our core contract with the NIHR HTA programme and the
Department of Health, to produce technology assessment reports, to support NICE and other policymaking bodies; and similar reports for various clients, including the HTA Programme. We will aim to
secure work from the HTA Programme in the following areas which reflect our interest and
expertise:
◾Cancers, particularly with short term survival
◾Diabetes and macular oedema
◾Mental health and psychological interventions
◾Screening and Diagnostics
2.2 Publishing in high impact journals
We aim to:
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Publish papers that will be well cited and do well in future Research Escellence assessments
Secure good citation rates for our publications
Publish technology appraisals where possible in the peer reviewed, high impact factor HTA
monograph series
Where appropriate, publish peer-reviewed journal versions of both short and long
technology appraisals
2.3. Achieving grant funding for SECONDARY RESEARCH
We aim to achieve additional grant funding for secondary research, systematic reviews and metaanalyses in Substantive clinical areas. Examples include:

A systematic review of interventions for post natal depression
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Joint work with the Warwick (Cochrane) Preventive heart group
Cochrane reviews on interventions for the primary prevention of coronary heart disease
Methodology. for example, bibliometrics, indirect comparisons, and survival modelling
2.4. Achieving grant funding for Primary research
We also aim to achieve additional grant funding in primary research. Examples where technology
appraisals have led to collaborations in primary research include
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The REPOSE trial of insulin pumps and structured education – one of our team helped draft
the successful bid for this RCT (for over £2 million) and is deputy chief investigator in this
multi-centre trial
A successful bid to be engaged in the CLAHRC WM which involves a mix of secondary and
primary research (2014-2019).
2.5. Fostering Specialist interests
Members of Warwick Evidence have specialist interests, in topic areas such as diabetes or
methodological areas such geo-spatial modelling or survival analysis. Other areas of interest and
expertise include e-health and uptake and use of evidence in health decision-making.
2.6. Developing capacity
We need to produce not only research but researchers. We aim to increase capacity by training new
researchers, and by developing the careers of our existing ones. We will seek to increase the number
of PhD students and post–doc fellowships. We will also provide opportunities for public health and
other clinical trainees and colleagues and those doing dissertations for post-graduate degrees to
collaborate with us. We have a Training, Development and Conference strategy in preparation and
its aim is to ensure that all our staff as highly skilled as possible to undertake their work. We run inhouse training workshops (e.g. on Value-based pricing, NHS costing, Network meta-analysis, Survival
analysis) and individual programmes of postgraduate training for researchers employed in Warwick
Evidence.
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK (ref)
Some members of staff were submitted in the 2014 REF and we hope to have more in the next REF.
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The future
Our core programme grant runs until the end of March 2021.
Renewal of the contract required a strong succession plan. Contingency planning is well developed
so that we are prepared for retirements, promotions, secondments, maternity leave and ill health to
ensure the work of the group is maintained at a high standard.
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