Applying for NIHR Funding Dr Jenny Ingram Joanne Simon Research Design Service South West Bristol Randomised Trials Collaboration, University of Bristol
Applying for NIHR funding Introduction to NIHR funding streams Hints and tips when preparing an application Potential pitfalls why applications may fail Who can help? Research Design Service South West Bristol Randomised Trials Collaboration Grant applications via NHS Bristol CCG
NIHR funding streams
Funding from NIHR Infrastructure Biomedical Research Centres and Units CLAHRCs Clinical Research Facilities for Experimental Medicine Clinical Research Networks Research Programmes Grants for individual projects and programmes Schools for primary care and social care research Research Training and Career Development Research Capability Funding
NIHR Research Programmes Health Services & Delivery Research Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Health Technology Assessment Invention for(4) Innovation Research for Patient Benefit Public Health Research Programme Grants for Applied Research www.nihr.ac.uk/research/pages/programmes_research_programmes.aspx
Basic Research - MRC and others CREATE REFINE EVALUATE APPRAISE USE Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation National Institute for Health Research Invention for innovation Biomedical Research Centres and Units Patient Safety and Quality Research Centres Research for Patient Benefit NHS Purchasing & Supplies Agency Programme Grants for Applied Research Health Technology Assessment Health Services and Delivery Research National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence Public Health Research Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing Appraisals & Guidance National Institute for Innovation & Improvement Clinical Guidelines National Innovation Centre Support for Commissioners and Providers World-class Commissioning Clinical Commissioning Groups NHS Providers. This diagram illustrates how the NIHR s major research initiatives fit into the innovation pathway. The pathway starts with the creation of an innovation which would include basic research in a laboratory, through to its use to in a patient care setting. The diagram is not intended to show formal relationships between programmes and organisations. This pathway covers the full range of interventions - pharmaceuticals, biologicals, biotechnologies, procedures, therapies and practices - for the full range of health and health care delivery - prevention, detection, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and care. Patient Care
Invention for Innovation Programme (i4i) To support and advance the development of innovative medical technologies Collaboration between industry and clinical/academic researchers Awards of 1-3 years Short-listed proposals: Presentation to selection panel i4i Challenge Awards (themed): getting technologies into clinical practice
Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Sits between experimental medicine and health technology assessment Funds clinical trials and evaluative studies in patients which: evaluate clinical efficacy of interventions may also add significantly to our understanding of biological or behavioural mechanisms and processes Efficacy (can it work, perhaps in controlled conditions) rather than effectiveness (does it work in real practice and is it worth it) Researcher-led and commissioned streams
Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme Research which provides information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests Commissioned programme Themed Calls Responsive Pragmatic Clinical Trials Programme
Research for Patient Benefit Programme Responsive scheme, funding research: arising from daily practice in the NHS developed between NHS and other partners with potential for influencing practice 3 funding competitions per year with outline and full application stages Awards of 150k, 250k and 350k for up to three years. Regional funding panels
Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) research to produce rigorous and relevant evidence on the quality, access and organisation of health services Health Services Research stream mainly researcher-led quality, appropriateness, effectiveness, equity and patient experience of health services Health Delivery Research stream mainly commissioned evaluating models of service delivery and interventions which have the potential to improve service effectiveness, efficiency and productivity
Public Health Research (PHR) benefits, costs, acceptability and wider effect of non-nhs interventions improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities in health Researcher-led and commissioned streams
Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) Researcher-led (responsive) Programme: a series of related projects, divided into work packages The whole should be greater than the sum of the parts Need strong track record Preparatory work through Programme Development Grant
Doctors + Dentists NIHR Integrated Academic Training NIHR Clinician Scientist NIHR Clinical Lectureship NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship NIHR In-Practice Fellowship Awards managed by NIHR TCC All Professions NIHR Fellowships NIHR Senior Research Fellowship NIHR Career Development Fellowship NIHR Post Doctoral Fellowship NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship Nurses, Midwives, AHPs Clinical Academic Training NIHR/CNO/HEFCE Senior Clinical Lectureship NIHR/CNO Clinical Lectureship NIHR/CNO Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship NIHR/CNO Masters in Clinical Research Healthcare Scientists and others CSO Healthcare Scientist Doctoral Fellowship Senior/ Pre-Chair -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CSO Healthcare Scientist Post Doctoral Fellowship Senior Post-Doc -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Early Post-Doc ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Doctoral ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Research Methods Fellowships MSc Medical Statistics and MSc in Health economics Pre- Doctoral / Masters -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Undergraduate
Writing an NIHR grant Make your research question STAND OUT as IMPORTANT to a multi-disciplinary committee Be
Writing an NIHR grant Team required range of skills and expertise, links with CTU, track record in applied health Clarity- avoid jargon, clear aims and objectives, tell the story clearly Feasibility of recruitment and retention Make sure the plain English summary is really plain English most read section PPI influence, important, costed
Writing an NIHR grant Be relevant Make a good case about burden of disease Define the intervention Describe the current evidence and gaps in knowledge The potential to change practice and impact Patient relevant outcomes
Writing an NIHR grant Get the design and methodology right, with clear justification Population Intervention Comparator Outcome Attention to detail (even at EoI stage!) Think about dissemination Value for money
TIPS Pay attention to funder s guidance notes Stay in remit read the brief Use visible headings White space Flow diagrams Draft and edit in Word Proof-read Don t leave it to the last minute!
Why do grants fail to get funding?
Reasons for grants failing Research design: Methodology detail lacking Inappropriate design Inappropriate analysis plans Justification or detail lacking intervention, background Inappropriate outcome measures Concerns with recruitment, sampling Low impact, not generalisable
Reasons for grants failing Applications out of scope No case made for patient benefit within 3-5 years Lack of clarity and focus of application Feasibility not convincing Expertise gaps within the research team Inadequate attention to PPI
Reasons for grants failing Inconsistency within the application Incorrect costing Not offering value for money Not responding to feedback/reviewers comments Topic fatigue
Who can help? Bristol Research Support Partners Common research support database with a form to request research support. http://www.bristoltrials.org.uk/
Bristol Research Support Partners
The Research Design Service - South West Dr Jenny Ingram
October 2008:1 st contract October 2013 : contract renewed for another 5 years NIHR Research Design Service across England: To offer fit for purpose advice and support on research design and methodology to researchers making funding applications To increase the number and proportion of high quality applications for funding
A network of methodologists Providing advice and support on all aspects of preparing NIHR grant applications
RDS-SW Bristol team Site lead: Jenny Ingram qualitative methods, patient involvement (PPI) Statistics: Peter Blair (BRTC) Rosemary Greenwood Hazel Taylor Qualitative methods and PPI : Rachael Gooberman-Hill Health economics: Elsa Marques, Rebecca Kandiyali Epidemiology and stats: Jon Pollock Systematic literature review: Cath Borwick Project management: Di Hynam
What can the RDS offer? Identify suitable funding sources Identify any gaps in the research team Identify methodological issues Advise on appropriate study design Give advice about PPI - involvement of patients/public at all stages Literature searching and identifying relevant articles
What can the RDS offer? Design and advise on qualitative elements of your application Provide a sample size calculation Give advice on appropriate statistical analysis Provide advice on an appropriate health economic evaluation Guidance on costing the project Help pull the application together including finance
What can the RDS offer? Submit the application to an internal regional review process (RDS Project Review Committee) 2 months before submission date. Provide one-day workshops on writing grant applications. Provide an annual (usually in spring), one week intensive Residential Research Retreat for three members of the research team to work on their application.
Collaboration Liaise with: o Trials units Bristol Randomised Trials Collaboration (BRTC) and Clinical Trials and Evaluation Unit (CTEU) at the BRI. o SMART unit and ConDuCT at University of Bristol. o Biomedical Research Units Common research support database with a form to request research support. http://www.bristoltrials.org.uk/
Get in touch Bristol Office: 0117 342 0233 rds@uhbristol.nhs.uk Co-ordinating Centre: 01823 342792 rds-sw@tst.nhs.uk www.rds-sw.nihr.ac.uk
Bristol Randomised Trials Collaboration This Unit receives National Institute for Health Research CTU Support Funding. In recognition of fulfilling the requirements and standards, as assessed by the International Review Panel on behalf of the UKCRC Registered CTU Network, we have retained our registration of support to the Unit in developing and supporting NIHR trials until August 2017
What is a Registered CTU? A UKCRC Registered Clinical Trials Unit: Key core competencies Track record of coordinating multi-centre RCTs or other well-designed studies Core team Expert staff to develop and support studies Quality assurance systems and processes Evidence of longer-term viability
Bristol Randomised Trials Collaboration Methodological Trials Unit with expertise in: statistics, health economics, qualitative research and trial design and management Full and formal academic collaboration at all stages of a project, including design, development, conduct, analysis and reporting* Co-Directors: Dr Athene Lane & Dr Chris Metcalfe BRTC Leads are senior academics within SSCM and SOCS Collaborate Co-Applicant Cost - Communication * Not just randomisation
Working with BRTC Interested in design and delivery of high quality randomised trials to address clinical questions of importance to the NHS, and public health (e.g. workplace or school-based interventions) Primary Care Public health Mental health Cancer Urology Neurology Children
Why Work with BRTC? Grant success rate and track record of methodologists Core infrastructure support Expertise Trial design Costing Regulatory navigation and research governance Data management solutions and randomisation Links to Primary Care
When to work with BRTC (a CTU) A CTU is often the best option if the trial: Involves a Medicinal Medicinal Product or device Is high risk Complex design or challenging setting Is in a disease, intervention or design area which the CTU already has expertise Is multicentre Is feasibility likely to lead to full pragmatic RCT
When to work with BRTC As early as possible! (at least 8 weeks) Contact us via Bristol Research Support Partners website www.bristoltrials.org.uk http://www.bristol.ac.uk/social-communitymedicine/centres/brtc/ Joanne Simon, Research Manager 0117 3313915 enquiry-brtc@bristol.ac.uk
NHS Bristol CCG as host Some NIHR funding streams mandate an NHS host organisation (eg RfPB, PGfAR) Host organisation: Signs and holds funding award contract and relevant sub-contracts with collaborators Financial reports to funder Legal and financial responsibilities Intellectual Property (IP) arrangements
NHS Bristol CCG as host - benefits Access to NHS resources and knowledge RCF generated for every 1 of research grant income. NHS Bristol CCG spend this RCF in the wider (NHS and academic) community, thereby increasing local research capabilities Understand NHS costs in research and ensure commissioners are linked in from the start Assist in costing calculations for NHS costs Identify IP and agree IP ownership plans
NHS Bristol CCG as host Collaboration with Research Design Service South West and BRTC (or other CTU) where relevant is encouraged BRTC and APCRC closely linked via BRTC Research Manager and joint Research Projects Manager post Talk to everyone early!
NHS Bristol CCG Contacts for new grant applications: Paul Roy Research Innovation and Contract Manager paul.roy@bristolccg.nhs.uk Eloisa Colman Research Projects Manager eloisa.colman@bristol.ac.uk