RDSU Network

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Best Research for Best Health
The Governments new strategy for research in the
NHS
RDSU Network Sharing Expertise National
Conference 26 May 2006
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Consultation 2005
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New Government Strategy 2006
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Our vision for the future
NIHR

• To create a health research system in which the
  NHS - supports outstanding individuals,
• - working in world-class facilities,
• - conducting leading-edge research,
• - focused on the needs of patients and the
  public

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National Institute for Health Research
NIHR

• Aim
• to position the NHS as a world-class research
  organisation focused on the needs of patients and
  the public
• Structure
• a virtual institute
• guided by an Advisory Board chaired by the DH
  Director of RD
• remains responsibility of Department of Health
  RD
• Purpose
• to create coherence and focus for the different
  strands of our work

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Strategic Goals
NIHR

• Establish the NHS as an internationally
  recognised centre of research excellence
• Attract, develop and retain the best research
  professionals to conduct people-based research
• Commission research focused on improving health
  and care
• Strengthen and streamline systems for research
  management and governance
• Act as sound custodians of public money for
  public good

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National Institute for Health Research
(NIHR)
Faculty
Trainees
Investigators
Senior Investigators
Programmes
Infrastructure
Universities
Research Projects
Research Networks
NHS Trusts
Networks
Research Programmes
Experimental Medicine Facilities
PatientsPublic
Research Units
Technology Platforms
National Schools for Research
Research Centres
Advice Service
Governance Network
ResearchEthics
Information Systems
Systems
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NIHR
14 Implementation Plans
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NIHR
NIHR Research Programmes Six implementation Plans
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NIHR
NIHR Research Programmes
Introduce a new Research for Patient Benefit
responsive project funding scheme Introduce
Programme Grants for Applied Research in areas of
high priority to the NHS. Create Research
Centres of international standing within our
leading NHS/University partnerships as the NHS
support for UK competitiveness in Biomedical
Sciences and NHS Service Quality and
Safety. Expand and strengthen our existing
RD programmes Funding We plan to increase
annual expenditure on NIHR research programmes as
we move through the three-year NHS RD funding
transition period.
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Funding Transition
NIHR
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Research For Patient Benefit (RfPB) Project Scheme
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The RfPB programme

• A national response-mode funding programme which
  will support high quality Health Services
  Research and Public Health Research of relevance
  to the NHS.

• Process
• The new NIHR Central Commissioning Facility will
  administer the scheme.
• There will be nine Local Funding Panels covering
  the Government Office regions.
• Chairs of the Local Funding Panels will be
  accountable to a National Programme Director with
  overall responsibility for the programme.

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• Funding

• 25 million per year will be available for this
  scheme, building up over the three years of the
  NHS RD transition period.
• Project Grants will be the most common type of
  grant awarded under the programme. They will
  normally be up to 36 months in duration with a
  total maximum cost of 200k.
• Small Grants may be sought to conduct pilot
  studies, feasibility studies, These will be no
  more than 12 months in duration with a maximum
  cost of 50k.

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Timetable

• Summer 2006 call for applications through the
  NIHR Central Commissioning Facility
• Early Dec 2006 first round of Panel meetings
• Mid Dec 2006 first round of awards

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Existing NHS National RD Programmes
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Consolidate Smaller Programmes

• Minimising risks by succession planning/
  identifying alternative funding streams
• Forensic Mental Health (CCF)
• Methodology (HTA)
• Patient Safety (CCF)

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Expand and Strengthen existing Programmes

• Health Technology Assessment
• Disease Prevention Panel panel constituted
• HTA Pragmatic Clinical Trials advert March 06
• Methodology transfer timetable May 06
• Network topic areas and NICE primary research
  for NICE pilots underway (Photo Dynamic Therapy)

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Expand and Strengthen existing Programmes

• Service Delivery and Organisation
• Network areas
• Public Health
• NIII

• New and Emerging Applications of Technology
  (Invention for Innovation)
• Challenge fund for innovation
• HTD

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Programme Grants for Applied Research
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Programme Grants for Applied Research

• Aim
• To enable NHS trusts to tackle areas of high
  priority or need for health
• To provide some stability of funding to support
  the long-term development of top quality research
  groups working in the NHS
• To replace programmes of research currently
  supported by the Priorities and Needs (PNF)
  component of NHS RD Support Funding for NHS
  Providers
• Purpose
• To provide substantial amounts of funding (up to
  2m) over a three to five year period for high
  quality research teams undertaking applied
  research addressing topics of high priority for
  health.
• To support a series of high quality related
  projects which form a coherent theme in an area
  of priority or need for the NHS.
• To support applied and clinical research,
  including health services research and public
  health research, and also existing programmes of
  research around patient involvement

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Timetable

• April/May 2006 publish initial call for outline
  applications
• June 2006 deadline for receipt of outline
  applications
• July 2006 short-listing and invitation to submit
  full applications
• September 2006 deadline for receipt of full
  applications
• December 2006 first round of Panel meetings
• January 2007 confirm first round of awards
• April 2007 first awards commence

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NIHR Research Centres
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NIHR Research Centres

• Aims
• To drive innovation and improvement
• To translate advances in research into benefits
  for patients and the public
• To provide a key component of the NHS
  contribution to our nations international
  competitiveness by making the best centres even
  better
• Purpose
• To support a critical mass of people and
  infrastructure
• To provide substantial levels of sustained
  funding to create a fertile environment for
  research, attract the foremost talent and produce
  world-class outputs
• Two Types of Research Centre
• Biomedical Research Centres
• Research Centres for NHS Service Quality
  Patient Safety

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NIHR Biomedical Research Centres

• Aim to drive innovation in the prevention,
  diagnosis and treatment of ill health, and to
  translate advances in biomedical research into
  benefits for patients
• 100m pa for approximately ten Biomedical
  Research Centres (Comprehensive and
  Specialist)
• International Selection Panel chaired by
  Professor John Savill (Edinburgh)
• Shortlist NHS/University partnerships using
  standardised Pre-qualifying Questionnaire in
  early May
• Bibliometric analysis
• Research staff
• External research income
• Site visits to shortlisted partnerships in late
  November
• Funding commences April 2007

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NIHR Research Centres for NHS Service Quality
Safety

• Aim to drive forward improvements in quality and
  effectiveness, particularly in the domain of
  safety of NHS services, and to translate advances
  in health services research and patient safety
  research into benefits for patients and the
  public
• 2m pa for approximately two Centres
• International Selection Panel chaired by
  Professor Peter Pronovost (Johns Hopkins)
• Shortlist NHS/University partnerships using
  standardised Pre-qualifying
  Questionnaire in mid-June
• Partnerships
• Publications
• Research staff
• External research income
• Site visits to shortlisted partnerships in
  mid-November
• Funding commences April 2007

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Thank you