Warwick Evidence
Training and Education Policy
Warwick Evidence
ID number: WE TE V1
January 2012
Division of Health Sciences
Warwick Medical School
The University of Warwick
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Contents
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1.
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4
2.
Policy and process for booking short-training courses and conferences ....................................... 4
2.1 Eligibility ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Budget ........................................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 Formal application process to Warwick Evidence ........................................................................ 4
2.4
Application process ................................................................................................................. 4
2.5 Alternative funding sources .......................................................................................................... 5
2.6 Advice for applicant ...................................................................................................................... 5
2.7 Advice for line manager ................................................................................................................ 5
2.8 Logging attendance ....................................................................................................................... 6
2.9 Dissemination of learning ............................................................................................................. 6
2.9.1 Written feedback to group .................................................................................................... 6
2.9.2 Learning materials.................................................................................................................. 6
2.10 Feedback to NETSCC ................................................................................................................... 6
2.11 University of Warwick training courses ...................................................................................... 6
2.12 Repayment of short course and conference fees ....................................................................... 6
3.
Summary of process for booking short-training courses and conferences ................................ 8
............................................................................................................................................................ 9
4.
Policy and process for booking long-term courses ....................................................................... 10
4.1 Eligibility ...................................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Application process ..................................................................................................................... 10
To apply for Warwick Evidence funding for long-term training, the appropriate request form
(see Appendix 1) should be completed. A summary of the course to be participated in, the
benefits to Warwick Evidence, a detailed description of the course content, and why it is useful
for the applicant’s career development should be outlined in a supplementary document
(maximum 4 sides of A4). Additional information, such as, course prospectus, course material
and fees, should be provided........................................................................................................ 10
Absence from work to participate in training and development should have prior line manager
approval. Applicants will be notified about the decision to approve the funding request or
otherwise within 20 working days. ............................................................................................... 10
4.3
WE funding ............................................................................................................................ 10
4.4 Decision making process ............................................................................................................. 10
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4.5 Repayment of Course Fees ......................................................................................................... 10
Summary of process for booking long-term courses ........................................................................ 11
.......................................................................................................................................................... 11
5.
Further training considerations for staff in Warwick Evidence .................................................... 12
5.1 Training plan ............................................................................................................................... 12
5.2 Compulsory courses and reading for new starters ..................................................................... 12
6.
Internal training courses ............................................................................................................... 12
6.1 Application process ..................................................................................................................... 12
6.2 Database of training, courses and conferences .......................................................................... 12
7.
Warwick Evidence training library ................................................................................................ 13
Appendix 1:
Form to be completed when request funding for training and development ............. 14
Warwick Evidence: Request for funding for training and development .............................................. 14
Appendix 2:
development
Warwick Medical School policy on requests for
16
divisional funding for training and
Appendix 3:
Course/Conference Feedback Form ......................................................................... 19
Course/Conference Feedback Form ..................................................................................................... 19
This form should be completed by anyone who has attended any conference or course. ................. 19
Appendix 4:
A list of all books in Warwick Evidence training
library........................................ 21
Warwick Evidence training library recourses........................................................................................ 21
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1. Introduction
Warwick Evidence is committed to train and develop its staff to ensure they deliver highquality work, support career professional development and the overall team needs. This
document provides details of the training strategy which should be considered by all staff
wanting to attend short or long training courses and conferences.
2. Policy and process for booking short-training courses and
conferences
A short-training course is one that involves no more that 5 consecutive working days or 7
working day sessions separated by a minimum of one day.
2.1 Eligibility
All staff working in Warwick Evidence are eligible to apply for funding to attend short
training courses and conferences.
2.2 Budget
Warwick Evidence has an identified budget for training and education in each tax year. For
short training courses (including travel and accommodation), funding will be provided up to
a maximum of £1,000 for a UK event and £2,000 for an international event per applicant.
Funding of more than these amounts will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
2.3 Formal application process to Warwick Evidence
Warwick Evidence will support a broad range of courses and training events including: inhouse teaching, individual interactive training, on-line courses, open learning, workshops
and conferences, plus books and software packages for Warwick Evidence library.
Applications will be judged on the suitability of the training to the applicant’s job description
and CPD plan and on the overall benefits for the team. Applications which represent good
‘value for money’ will be prioritised.
Support for attendance at academic conferences will usually only be available if the
applicant is presenting (oral or poster) original work undertaken by Warwick Evidence at an
event that is relevant to the work Warwick Evidence.
All applications for support require the approval of the line manager. Only in exceptional
circumstances can more than three awards or 10 working days per person, per financial year
(1 April-31 March) be made.
2.4 Application process
To apply for Warwick Evidence funding, the appropriate request form (see Appendix 1)
should be completed and set to project manager with the relevant details. A summary of
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the work to be presented, or the course attended, and the benefits to Warwick Evidence,
should be outlined.
If a substantial request for support is made (e.g. for attendance at an overseas conference),
the supporting case should clearly demonstrate why attendance is important and how it is
relevant to the work of Warwick Evidence.
Absence from work to participate in training and development should have prior line
manager and any relevant project manager approval.
For applications to support attendance at conferences, requests for funding should be made
when an abstract is submitted. The line manager and project manager should be informed
as soon as it is known that a paper has been accepted (i.e. oral presentation or poster
presentation).
Applications will be considered by the Warwick Evidence Senior Team (WEST) and will be
notified about the decision to approve the funding request or otherwise within 10 working
days.
2.5 Alternative funding sources
See Appendix 2. Applicants may also be encouraged to apply for divisional funding to
support training and development. Other funds should also be considered (e.g. research
grants, conference bursaries and external funding sources).
2.6 Advice for applicant
Points to consider when selecting a course/conference:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Seek advice from your line manager before completing the application form.
Consider your own training needs. As documented in annual performance appraisal record.
Appraise the content of the course/conference.
How will this course benefit Warwick Evidence?
Is this good value or are there more useful courses?
What are your work commitments at the time of the course/conference?
How long will you be away from work (include travel time)?
Will the course lead to further training?
Will attendance at the conference incur other costs (e.g. poster printing)?
Who will be attending the conference (e.g. other TAR groups, experts)?
2.7 Advice for line manager
Points to consider when evaluating an application for a course/conference:
1. Does this course/conference support the applicants training needs?
2. Appraise the content of the course/conference.
3. How will this course benefit Warwick Evidence (e.g. dissemination by the applicant, handouts,
material, software)?
4. Is the cost justified?
5. What are the applicant’s work commitments at the time of the course/conference?
6. How long will the applicant be away from work?
7. Will the course lead to further training?
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8. Will attendance at the conference incur other costs (e.g. poster printing)?
9. Who will be attending the conference (e.g. other TAR groups, experts)?
10. How many courses/conferences has the applicant attended over the last 12 months?
2.8 Logging attendance
All forms approved or rejected should be signed and returned to the applicant within 10
working days. A signed copy should be given to project manager for Warwick Evidence. All
members of staff should be encouraged by their line managers to log all training and
conferences attended in preparation for their annual review.
2.9 Dissemination of learning
2.9.1 Written feedback to group
Within one-month of attending the course/conference a feedback form (see Appendix 3)
should be completed by applicants and returned to the line manager and a copy provided to
the project manager for Warwick Evidence. The conference/course feedback form will be
shared with the team during Tuesday meetings and a 5 minute presentation of key points
will be made by the applicant. All applicants are asked to provide an overall personal rating
of the course or conference (1 = Very poor, 2 = poor, 3 = Average, 4 = Good, 5 = Very good)
and whether they would encourage other members of the team to attend (1 = Yes, 2 = No, 3
= Maybe). In cases where the line manager recognises the potential benefits to the wider
team, the applicant will be given the option of writing a more detailed summary of key
issues (500 words maximum) or a 20 minute oral presentation.
2.9.2 Learning materials
Applicants will provide copies of all materials gathered from the course/conference. These
will be stored in the Warwick Evidence library.
2.10 Feedback to NETSCC
The project manager for Warwick Evidence will collate information about all training and
conferences attended by staff in Warwick Evidence. An annual report is submitted to
NETSCC detailing our training activities.
2.11 University of Warwick training courses
A large number of courses are free for staff at the University of Warwick. Attendance at
these courses needs to be agreed with the line manager, who will discuss the application
with WEST. Please check the following link:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/ldc/development/
2.12 Repayment of short course and conference fees
The payment of course/conference fees by Warwick Evidence is subject to the applicant
being required to repay the cost in the event of a decision by the Head of Department that
progress was not satisfactory. In the case of particularly expensive courses, the University
may provide funding subject to the requirement that staff leaving the University's service
within a specified period of obtaining their qualification pay back a proportion of their fees
as set out below:
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Leaving University Employment
Fees Pay-Back
Before completion of qualification
100%
Within 1 year of completion
50%
Between 1 and 2 years of completion
25%
More than 2 years after completion
0%
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2.13 Summary of process for booking short-training courses and conferences
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Identify a course or conference
Why is it relevant?
Benefits to you and WE?
Discuss with your line manager
Get advice on whether to proceed with application
Download application form
Submit to line manager
Send copy to project manager
Decision by WEST within 10 working days
Raise purchase order by PET secretary for travel
PET secretary confirms booking with
and course fees
member of staff
Dissemination
Complete the conference and course feedback form
Oral presentation to team at weekly meeting (500 word
report in some circumstances) within 4 weeks. Place
copies of learning material in Warwick Evidence library
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3. Policy and process for booking long-term courses
A long-term training course is one that involves more that 5 consecutive working days or
more than 7 working day sessions separated by a minimum of one day.
3.1 Eligibility
All staff working a minimum of .7 FTE, who have successfully completed a 6-month
probation in Warwick Evidence and have a contract with Warwick Evidence for a minimum
of 1-year at the end of the course, are eligible to apply for funding to attend a long-term
training course.
3.2 Application process
To apply for Warwick Evidence funding for long-term training, the appropriate request form
(see Appendix 1) should be completed. A summary of the course to be participated in, the
benefits to Warwick Evidence, a detailed description of the course content, and why it is
useful for the applicant’s career development should be outlined in a supplementary
document (maximum 4 sides of A4). Additional information, such as, course prospectus,
course material and fees, should be provided.
Absence from work to participate in training and development should have prior line
manager approval. Applicants will be notified about the decision to approve the funding
request or otherwise within 20 working days.
3.3 WE funding
Please note funding of more than £5,000 per applicant during a 12-month period will only
be granted in exceptional circumstances.
3.4 Decision making process
The Warwick Evidence Senior Team (WEST) will formally review the application and respond
in writing within 20 working days.
3.5 Repayment of Course Fees
Payment of course fees may be subject to an undertaking from the trainee to repay the cost
in the event of a decision by the Head of Department that progress was not satisfactory. In
the case of particularly expensive courses, the University may provide funding subject to the
requirement that staff leaving the University's service within a specified period of obtaining
their qualification pay back a proportion of their fees as set out below.
Leaving University Employment
Fees Pay-Back
Before completion of qualification
100%
Within 1 year of completion
50%
Between 1 and 2 years of completion
25%
More than 2 years after completion
0%
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3.6 Summary of process for booking long-term courses
Identify a course or conference
Why is it relevant?
Benefits to you and WE?
Discuss with your line manager
Get advice on whether to proceed with application
Download application form
Submit application form and 4 page detailed
description and additional information to line
manager
Send copy to project manager
Decision by WEST within 20 working days
Raise purchase order by PET secretary for travel
PET secretary confirms booking with
and course fees
member of staff
Dissemination
Complete the Conference/course feedback form
Provide regular updates to group at weekly team
meeting. Place copies of learning matieral in
Warwick Evidence library
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4. Further training considerations for staff in Warwick Evidence
4.1 Training plan
During line management meetings, and in particular, during annual review, staff should be
encouraged to consider their own training needs. Staff should be made aware of the
training courses/conferences database which outlines forthcoming events. Staff should be
encouraged to make preparation in advance (e.g. 6-12 months before) to allow successful
application.
4.2 Compulsory courses and reading for new starters
All new starters should undertake the following courses based on their job titles (unless they
have already undertaken these courses):

Health economists: should attend the “Applied Methods of Cost-Effectiveness
Analysis course” at the University of Oxford, HERC, or equivalent.

Clinical effectiveness reviewers: should attend the “Introduction to Systematic
Reviews and Critical Appraisal Course” at The University of York, CRD, or equivalent.

Information specialists: should attend the “Identifying the Evidence for Systematic
Reviews course” at The University of York, CRD, or equivalent.

Administration staff: should attend relevant internal courses to support their training
needs.
In addition, all new starters will be encouraged to read the following:
 Guide to the Methods of Technology Appraisal, STA, MTAs and DARs
 Understanding Research and Critical Appraisal (UReCA) teaching file
 Greenhalgh T (2001). How to read a paper: The basics of evidence based medicine.
London, BMJ
 Gray JA Muir (2009). Evidence-based healthcare and public health: How to make
decisions about health services and public health. Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone. 3rd
edition
5. Internal training courses
5.1 Application process
Discussions should be made with the applicant’s line manager. Please refer to the policy
and process for booking short-training courses and conferences. See Appendix 1.
5.2 Database of training, courses and conferences
This database provides details of relevant training, courses and conferences currently
available in the UK and internationally that may be of interest to staff in Warwick Evidence.
The database is located on the p drive in folder:
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P:\Research data\Warwick Evidence\General\Training\Database of training, courses and
conferences
The PET group secretary will update the database each month and will inform all staff in
Warwick Evidence at team meetings of any new events. All staff are encouraged to inform
the PET group secretary of any relevant events which they identify.
In addition, there is a folder on the p drive which lists all the courses that people have
attended:
P:\Research data\Warwick Evidence\General\Training\Booked courses
6. Warwick Evidence training library
All books, journals, course/conference material and software will be stored in A103. A list of
current books in Warwick Evidence training library is provided in Appendix 4. Only staff in
Warwick Evidence are permitted to borrow books and journals from the library. They will
be required to sign the register located in the library indicating who has removed the book
and the date. Books can be taken for a maximum of 15 working days. A book can be
recalled if more than one person in the team needs to use it.
Application for new books, learning material, journals and training software for the library
can be made on an informal basis to the Project manager for Warwick Evidence. Please
state the name of the book, authors and publisher and contact the University bookshop for
an estimation of cost.
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Appendix 1:
Form to be completed when request funding for training
and development
Warwick Evidence: Request for funding for training and development
Name:
Job title:
Conference title or course name:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Dates: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Venue: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Length of course/conference:……………………………………………………………………
Summary of course:
Total funding requested: £
Course/Conference fees: £
Travel, subsistence and accommodation costs: £
Additional details:
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How will this course/training benefit you?
How will this course/training benefit Warwick Evidence?
Line manager name and signature:
Please print:
Date:
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Appendix 2:
Warwick Medical School policy on requests for
divisional funding for training and development
DIVISION OF HEALTH SCIENCES
Warwick Medical School
POLICY ON REQUESTS FOR DIVISIONAL FUNDING FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
General principles:
 The Division of Health Sciences is committed to train and develop research and
administrative staff and doctoral students to ensure that they can continue to contribute
fully in maintaining its high quality work.
 There are many effective ways of training and different styles of learning to suit different
people; these should all be seen as opportunities for self-development and include, but are
not limited to: in-house teaching, individual interactive training, on-line courses, open
learning, off-job courses, workshops and conferences.
 Divisional funding to support training and development may be applied for when other
funding sources are not available. Such other funds normally include research grant funds,
Principal Investigator’s discretionary accounts and other external funding sources. Only if
these have been sought in the first instance will an application for divisional support be
considered.
 Support for attendance at academic conferences will usually only be available if the
applicant is presenting (oral or poster) original work conducted at the University of Warwick
at a meeting that is relevant to the work of the Division of Health Sciences.
 Applications that represent good ‘value for money’ will be prioritised for support.
 All applications for support require the approval of the relevant unit lead.
 The size of the divisional support budget is proportional to the Division’s teaching load. For
non-administrative staff, preference will therefore be given to applicants who have
contributed to the division teaching load.
 Only in exceptional circumstances can more than one award per person, per financial year (1
August-31 July) be made.
 Divisional funding does not cover fees or bursaries for postgraduate degrees (or parts of
these). University funding opportunities are available for coverage of fees or bursaries for
postgraduate degrees: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/gsp/scholarship
Application process:
 To apply for Divisional funding, the appropriate request form (see Appendix A) should be
completed with the relevant details. A summary of the work to be presented, or the course
to be participated in, and the benefits to the Division in doing so, should be outlined.
 If a substantial request for support is made, e.g. for attendance at an overseas conference, it
should be clearly demonstrated in the supporting case why attendance is important and
how it is relevant to the work of the Division.
 Absence from work to participate in training and development should have prior line
manager approval.
 For applications to support attendance at conferences, requests for funding should be
submitted as soon as it is known that there is work to be presented.
 The completed form should have Unit head support and line manager sign off before being
submitted to the Training and Development Committee, via the divisional manager
(j.m.brittain@warwick.ac.uk), for consideration of the funding request. Individuals will be
notified the decision to approve the funding request or otherwise.
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Appendix A
DIVISION OF HEALTH SCIENCES
Request for Divisional funding for training and development
Name:
Name:
Divisional Unit:
Job title:
PI and Project (where applicable):
Conference title or course name:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Dates: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Venue: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Summary of work to be presented or proposed course, and benefit to the Division:
Total funding requested
Including travel & accommodation:
For non-administrative staff, contribution to teaching in the 20010/11 and 2011/12 academic years:
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Details of successful and unsuccessful attempts to obtain funding from other sources:
Please explain how this request represents good value for money:
Unit head statement of support:
Line manager name and signature:
Please print:
Date:
Head of Training and Development Committee approval/comment:
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Signature ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Appendix 3:
Course/Conference Feedback Form
Course/Conference Feedback Form
This form should be completed by anyone who has attended any conference or course.
Name:
Job title:
Conference title or course name: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Dates: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Venue: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Date to disseminate your learning to the team: ………………………………………..
Overall summary of the course: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What did you hope to gain from the Conference/Course?
What was good about the Conference/Course?
What might you do differently as a result of attending the Conference/Course?
What further reading, action or learning has the Conference/Course prompted you to do?
What can Warwick Evidence learn from this Conference/Course?
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What is your overall personal rating of the Course/Conference? (Please circle your response)
1 = Very poor
2 = poor
3 = Average
4 = Good
5 = Very good
Would encourage other members of the team to attend? (Please circle your response)
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Maybe
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Appendix 4:
A list of all books in Warwick Evidence training
library
Warwick Evidence training library recourses
Title
Cochrane handbook of systematic reviews of
interventions version 5.1.0 (updated March
2011)
Author
Higgins and Green
Survival Analysis: A Practical Approach
Machin, Cheung, Parmar
Decision Modelling for Health Economic
Evaluation
Briggs, Sculpher, Claxton
An Introduction to Survival Analysis Using
Stata
Cleves, Gould, Gutierrez, Marchenko
Systematic Reviews: CRDs guidance’s to
understanding reviews in healthcare
CRD University of York
Methods for the economic evaluation of
healthcare programmes
Drummond
The Oxford handbook of Health Economics
Gliede and Smith
Applied methods of cost benefit analysis in
healthcare
McIntosh, Clarke, Frew, Louviere
Introduction to health economics
Guiness and Wisemen
Economic evaluations in clinical trials
Glick, Doshi, Sonnad, Polsky
Applied methods of cost effectiveness
analysis in health care
Grey, Clarke, Wolstenholme, Wordsworth
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