Research Design Service North West

RDS NW e-bulletin – April 2022

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RDS NW e-bulletin

April 2022

 

Your First Research Grant: Developing funding proposals in applied health and social care – save-the-date

15 June 2022, 10.00am to 1.00pm – Jean McFarlane building, University of Manchester

NIHR Research Design Service North West (RDS NW) is offering this in-person event for health and social care professionals and researchers who want to develop and submit their first research grant to an NIHR funding programme, or other national, open-call, peer reviewed funding sources.

The event will include a presentation from a successful first-grant applicant, an overview of RDS NW support and other networks, and guidance on fundamental aspects of the design of a funding proposal including the importance of Public Involvement.

Who should attend

This event is open to North West-based healthcare professionals, social care and public health practitioners, and health and social care researchers who are intending to apply to any NIHR or other open, competitive, peer reviewed funding programme as their first grant application.

Informal drop-in sessions

If you would like an initial informal chat with an RDS NW adviser we are offering bookable drop-in sessions after the event, from 1.30pm. Please indicate on the registration form whether you would like a slot, and we will contact you to arrange a time.

If you are unable to attend any afternoon drop in sessions, please do contact the RDS NW for advice via rds-nw@lancaster.ac.uk to request a meeting with an adviser at a time convenient to you.

Registration and Programme

Registration and a full programme will be available shortly.  Why not sign-up to our mailing list or follow us on Twitter to be notified when available.

 

A successful three day residential Grant Development and Writing Retreat

The NIHR Research Design Service (RDS) held a three day residential Grant Development and Writing Retreat on 23 March 2022 to 25 March 2022 at the Castle Green Hotel in Kendal.

The purpose of the Retreat was to give busy professionals dedicated time to rapidly progress their social care research proposals to be submitted to the NIHR Research for Social Care (RfSC) research programme.

Watch a video of highlights from the retreat here.

 

PHRADA currently supporting NIHR Public Health Research funding applications

Public Health Research Applications and Design Advice (PHRADA) is provided by the NIHR Research Design Service (RDS) across England to support applicants to develop competitive applications to the NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) programme.

The PHRADA team support applicants applying to selected PHR commissioned calls throughout the application process. Anyone considering submitting an application to the commissioned calls currently being supported by PHRADA can use the service.

PHRADA is currently supporting the following PHR calls:

For more information or to speak to a PHRADA adviser complete the PHRADA online form.

 

NIHR Public Health Research Programme Online Event

12 May 2022, 10.00am to 12.00 noon, online

Hosted by the RDS, this free to attend online event focusing on the PHR funding programme, will cover:

  • an overview of funding calls, commissioned and researcher-led
  • what makes a good PHR application
  • what do the PHR Prioritisation Committee and Funding Committee, stage one and two, like to see in an application
  • RDS and PHRADA support for PHR applications
  • writing tips, interpreting and responding to common committee feedback
  • Public Involvement for Public Health Research
  • applicant perspectives of applying to the PHR funding programme.

This is a national event open to anyone with a good idea to develop high-quality research, including public health professionals, practitioners, researchers and academics based at universities, local authorities and other organisations who are interested in applying to the PHR funding programme.

Register for the event here.

The event is being hosted by RDS West Midlands, please direct any queries to rds.wm@nihr.ac.uk.

 

NIHR: Delivering a Sustainable Health and Care System

The NIHR have issued a cross-programme call for research into the evaluation of interventions or services to support the delivery of a more sustainable UK health and care system, including mitigating the effects of climate change on health and care delivery.

For the purposes of this call, the term ‘sustainability’ is defined as climate sustainability as opposed to financial, political, cultural or environmental sustainability.

This call is a key component of the NIHR response in recognition of the need for further research based evidence related to the provision of more sustainable health, public health and social care services and processes and to support the UK’s ambition to deliver a ‘net zero’ NHS and meet the goals of the COP26 summit.

View the full call specification here.

Request advice on your application to any of these calls.

 

RDS Blog: Celebrating young people making a difference in health research

In this month’s blog, read about how a group of young people are making a big impact.

Kent, Surrey and Sussex Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG KSS) advise researchers from across the region on projects involving children and young people in order to help them improve their plans.

In this blog, group members reflect on the benefits they can bring to research projects, why they joined YPAG, and what they have gained from it.

Read the blog here.

 

Make Impact Work – RDS South East annual stakeholder event – open nationally

18 May 2022, 12.00 noon to 3.00pm, online

This event, also open to those not based in the South East, will focus on delivering impact in health, public health and social care research.

It will provide a unique opportunity to learn about ways of maximising the impact of research studies.

The event is relevant to:

  • researchers and practitioners planning to apply for research funding from NIHR, MRC and research charities
  • research managers in health, public health and social care including industry.

Find out more about the event and register here.

 

NIHR publishes framework to promote race equality in public involvement in research

The NIHR has published their Race Equality Framework. The framework is a self-assessment tool to help organisations improve racial equality in public involvement in health and care research. It will help assess how policies, practices and culture could be changed to better serve diverse communities, foster improved race relations and ultimately improve healthcare delivery.

The NIHR recognises the damage caused by systemic racism and is demonstrating a commitment to change by making race a top priority. This is a key part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

The Framework has been co-produced by members of the NIHR’s Race Equality Public Action Group (REPAG). REPAG aims to work with Black African, Asian and Caribbean heritage communities to strengthen NIHR’s understanding of race inequality in health and social care research and advise on actions to take.

 

Including people who face language or other communications barriers to participating in research – a short survey

The NIHR Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group is looking at the language and other communications barriers faced by some people who wish to take part in research and how study teams are working to include them.

People who face these barriers include those who:

  • speak English as another language
  • have experienced educational disadvantages that have led to poor literacy
  • have learning difficulties including dyslexia
  • have learning disabilities
  • have visual impairments or hearing loss
  • have developed aphasia or a related condition as a result of a stroke or brain injury.

Take part in a survey aimed at collecting information about what studies are offering support to the above groups and how they are doing so.

The NIHR would also like to hear from studies who do not currently include participants from the above groups and why, so they can look at what support and solutions are needed.

You can complete a second survey if you have more than one study you’d like to tell the NIHR about.

 

Still time to register for the Trials Methodology Research Partnership webinar – Trials methodology: a community approach

4 May 2022, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, online

This talk is presented by Prof. Paula Williamson, from the University of Liverpool on behalf of the  MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP)

Methods research ensures health research, practice and policy are built on the best evidence; and maximises benefits for patients and the public.

In this talk Paula will discuss the impact of our methods research. The talk will aim to demonstrate how networking and strengthening our community of practice has led to better, more impactful research, and increased education and knowledge exchange. Paula will discuss future plans and priorities for TMRP and highlight the growing international network of trials methodologists.

Register for the webinar here.

 

Closing soon – opportunity to participate in NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research assessment committees as a Sub-Committee Chair

Closing 6 May 2022

The NIHR has an exciting opportunity to participate in NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) assessment committees as a Sub-Committee Chair. This prestigious appointment offers senior applied health, public health and social care researchers the chance to lead the sub-committees that formally assess applications and subsequently make funding recommendations for large scale, high quality programmes of research for the benefit of patients, service users, carers and the NHS.

Find out more and apply here.

 

Other events and webinars

NIHR funding opportunities

Request advice on your funding application to any of these funding calls.

 

Always check with the event organisers/funder for latest information.