Professor Chris Hatton Lancaster University Regional Co-Director, RDS NW NIHR research funding, the Research Design Service, and you

1. NIHR research funding, the
Research Design Service, and
you
*
Professor Chris Hatton
Lancaster University
Regional Co-Director, RDS NW

2. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• A major research funder of applied health and social
care research in England
–Applied
–Health (and social care?)
–Designed to have potential benefit to people
within 3-5 years of the end of the research
–Mixture of response mode, themed and specific
calls for research
• Part of a chain:
–Invention - Evaluation - Adoption – Diffusion

3. Research Design Service
Tweeting?
#LTRConf15
@NIHR_RDS
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk

4. Research Design Service
From invention to diffusion
4

5. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB)
–National, response-mode programme, operated
through regional panels
–£100K to £250K to £350K, maximum 3 years
–3 rounds per year
• Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR)
–National response mode programme
–Up to £2 million over 3 – 5 years
–Regular rounds

6. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR)
–Aims to produce rigorous and relevant evidence to improve
the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services
–Supports many types of research, including primary
research and evidence synthesis
–Open-response, themed and specific calls
• Public Health Research (PHR)
–Funds research to evaluate non-NHS interventions
intended to improve the health of the public and reduce
inequalities in health. Scope is multi-disciplinary and broad.
–Funds both primary and secondary research
–Open-response, themed and specific calls

7. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
–Biggest NIHR research programme
–Funds independent research about the effectiveness, costs
and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests for
those who plan, provide or receive care in the NHS
–Mixed portfolio of clinical trials, pilot and feasibility studies, and
evidence synthesis projects
–Open response, themed and specific calls
• Efficiency and Mechanism Evaluation (EME)
–Funds clinical studies to test interventions where proof of
concept has already been demonstrated, allowing their
progress through early clinical trials and on to larger, later
clinical trials
–Open responses, themed and specific calls

8. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• Systematic Reviews (SR)
–Funds the production and updates of systematic
reviews through two funding streams:
•NIHR Cochrane Programme Grant Scheme provides
high quality systematic reviews that are of direct benefit
to users of the NHS in England. This call runs every
three years
•NIHR Cochrane Incentive Awards are available to
Cochrane Review Groups to facilitate, and possibly
accelerate, activity that is already planned or under
way. This call runs annually

9. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• School for Social Care Research (SSCR)
–Largely funds a network of research units
–Some open response calls for research in social
care, within broad themed parameters

10. Research Design Service
NIHR research funding
• Fellowships
–Wide range of Fellowship schemes
–Research Fellowships at these levels:
•Doctoral
•Post-Doctoral
•Career Development
•Senior Research
•Research Professorship
–Annual application round

11. Research Design Service
Purpose of the Research
Design Service
• The Research Design Service (RDS) provides advice on
research design to researchers who are developing
proposals for national, peer-reviewed funding competitions
for applied health or social care research.
• RDS helps people design and develop high quality
research proposals.

12. Research Design Service
A national service delivered
regionally
• East of England
• London
• North East
• South Central
• South East Coast
• South West
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire and Humberside
• North West
• East Midlands

13. Research Design Service
A regional service delivered locally
The North West of England
Cumbria and
Lancashire local
office
Lancaster University
with
Universities of Cumbria and
Central Lancashire
Mersey and Cheshire
local office
Liverpool University with
University of Bangor
Greater Manchester
local office
University of Manchester with Salford University
Central coordinating
office based at
Lancaster University

14. Research Design Service
RDS expertise
• Methodology:
• statistics
• health economics
• qualitative
• health psychology & behaviour change
• research synthesis
• and specialist methodologies.
• Specific application advice for schemes.
• Patient and public involvement (PPI).

15. Research Design Service
What happens when you contact
the service
Depending on your needs you may be:
• provided with information on first contact with the service
• directed to our online resources for information
• directed to another source of help
• eligible for our advisory service if you are looking for
support with proposal development to apply for funding
from a national open peer-reviewed competition scheme.

16. Research Design Service
Individualised support
• You will be asked to complete an advice request form
which gathers information needed to assess your needs.
• Your case will be assessed and if eligible you will be
passed on to one of our ‘Frontline Advisers.’
• As appropriate, your adviser will make contact with other
advisers or seek our specialists’ advice.
• Advisers will then provide the support needed to develop
your proposal.

17. Research Design Service
Support we offer
• Face to face meetings, email and phone.
• Developing suitable research questions.
• Getting into scope for the funding stream.
• Research design.
• Developing collaboration: ‘building a dream team.’
• Advice on research methods and analysis.
• Public Involvement Fund, up to £350.
• Critical read-through of your proposal.
• Come to us early!

18. Research Design Service
Other RDS NW support
• Targeted funding stream support meetings.
• Outreach presentations.
• Website.

19. Research Design Service
Website and online support
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk
• Provides a signposting service.
• Offers a growing number of self-help resources.
• Provides news and funding alerts.
• Provides access to our advice service
and much more.

20. Research Design Service
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk

21. Research Design Service
PPI – How-to Guide
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/how-to-guide
Dr Sue Hinder (RaFT Consulting) and Dr Tracey Williamson (RDS Adviser, University of Salford) had significant input into
producing the content of the guide and providing feedback.

22. Research Design Service
Clinical trials essential links resource
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk/research-design/trials-self-help

23. Research Design Service
How to access the service in
the North West
• Access the service through our Regional Co-ordinating
Centre:
• via our telephone helpline: 01524 593209
• via email: rds-nw@lancaster.ac.uk
• via our website:
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk/request-advice.

24. Research Design Service
And you…
Over to you!