Getting research off the ground
Research Design Service South East (RDS SE)
Dr Claire Rosten
Research Advisor
Overview
- Review the structure of the NIHR re. funding
programmes.
- Quick overview of the various programmes.
- More in-depth look at RfPB programme.
- Overview of the RDS and what help we can
give to researchers.
- Open discussion of research ideas.
NIHR Structure
Research
Funding
NIHR Funding Bodies
• NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies
Coordination Centre (NETSCC)
• Health Technology Assessment programme (HTA)
• Public Health Research programme (PHR)
• Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme
(EME)
• Health Services and Delivery Research programme
(HS&DR; as of Jan. 2012)
NIHR Funding Bodies
• These funding programmes are dual-stream:
1. Needs-led stream: Calls for proposals
• Primary research & Evidence synthesis
2. Researcher-led stream: responsive
www.hta.ac.uk/funding/standardcalls/index.shtml
• Three calls a year.
• Two-stage application process.
NIHR Funding Bodies
• Central Commissioning Facility (CCF)
• Programme Grants for Applied Research
• Programme Development Grants
• Invention for Innovation (i4i)
• Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB)
Research for Patient Benefit
• Responsive scheme, funding research:
– arising from daily practice in the NHS.
– developed between NHS and other partners.
– with potential for influencing practice.
• Annual budget of £25m p.a.
• 3 funding competitions per year.
• Regional funding panels.
RfPB Regional Panels
- 10 regions.
- Each with its own RfPB
funding panel.
RfPB scope
• Regionally commissioned health services and
public health research - qualitative and
quantitative designs to:
• Study the provision and use of NHS services.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of
interventions.
• Examine the resource utilisation of alternative means
for healthcare delivery.
• Formally scrutinise innovations and developments.
• Pilot or feasibility studies.
RfPB requirements
• Principle investigator and up to six co-applicants.
 Strong research team with expertise
covering all aspects of the proposal.
• Maximum of three years of funding up to a value
of £250,000.
• NHS Trust holds the money.
• University academic partners are actively
encouraged.
RfPB requirements
• Main research outcome of some tangible form of
PATIENT BENEFIT.

Ideally the results will impact directly
on current practice.
• Strong evidence of Patient-Public involvement
(PPI) in the design stages of the research as
well as in the running of the study and in the
dissemination of its results.
• Clear plans for dissemination.
RfPB application form
• Online application form.
www.ccf.nihr.ac.uk/RfPB/apply/Pages/default.aspx
• PI and all co-applicants must register.
• Specific word counts for sections.
• Single stage application, but there is a
preliminary scoping to ensure projects are within
remit.
RfPB Competitions
• RfPB competitions are held 3 times a year.
• Competition 17
• Submission Deadline:
• Preliminary Scrutiny:
• Outcome:
20th January 2012
Mid-March 2012
Late July 2012
• Competition 18
• Submission Deadline estimate: May 2012
RfPB experiences
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Applications out of scope.
No case made for patient benefit.
Inadequate research design.
Incoherent methodology.
Feasibility not convincing.
Gaps within the research team.
Inadequate attention to PPI.
RfPB – word to the wise
• Must demonstrate DIRECT benefit to NHS users
– short and medium term.
• Include Public Involvement.
• Academic involvement – Statistician, Health
Economist, Epidemiologist.
• Rigorous study, well-presented, simple
language.
• Access other sources of information – Directors
letter, list of successful studies, RfPB FAQs.
Research Design Service
• RDS is part of the NIHR research infrastructure
alongside other initiatives such as:
•Topic Specific Clinical Research Networks
•Local Comprehensive Research Networks (CLRN)
•Research Centres
•Biomedical Research Units, Experimental Medicine
Facilities, Technology Platforms
•Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health
Research and Care
NIHR Structure
RDS
RDS: Purpose
• To help researchers develop and design high
quality research proposals for submission to
national, peer-reviewed funding competitions for
applied health and social care research.
• To provide consistent national coverage, with a
focus on NHS-based researchers applying to the
NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme.
• To offer access to a range of expertise in
research design and to refer to other sources of
expert advice on the applied health and social
care research system.
Research Design Service
• Nationally - 10 Research Design Services,
mainly located in universities.
• One in each Strategic Health Authority area and
aligned to the CLRNs.
• Contract runs from October 2008 – September
2013.
Ten NIHR Research Design
Services in England
We provide help with:
•Formulating research questions.
•Identifying appropriate funding
programmes.
•Evidence review.
•Epidemiological techniques.
•Methodological advice.
•Statistics.
•Health economics and economic
evaluation.
•Qualitative methods.
•Patient-public Involvement (PPI).
RDS South East
Research Design Service SE
• NHS researchers in health and social care who wish to
develop bids for RfPB in particular and NIHR more
generally.
• We advise on:
• formulating research questions.
• research design for quantitative and qualitative studies including
statistics advice.
• Identifying appropriate funding sources .
• preparing applications.
• contacting potential collaborators in research – in universities
and in the NHS .
• ways of including patients, patient representatives and the public
at all stages of the research process (PPI).
• Ethical issues.
• In some cases we can act as partners and collaborators
How do we help?
• One stop shop approach through dedicated
telephone line or email to access to:
– One-to-one consultation with a primary Research
Advisor (in person, via telephone or/and email).
– Referral to other sources of help.
– Research for Patient Benefit clinics/workshops.
• We can also act as ‘brokers’ between
organisations -NHS, NIHR, HEIs, INVOLVE etc.
Get in touch…
01273 643952
d.moore@brighton.ac.uk
www.rds-se.nihr.ac.uk