RDS NW e-bulletin – January 2023

RDS blog: Researcher, adviser, committee member – we’re all on the same side

NIHR Research Design Service (RDS) advisers use their writing skills, methodological expertise, and funding panel observation knowledge to help you design and develop the strongest possible research project and funding application, so that service users may in the future benefit from your ideas.

January’s blog from Claire Rosten, an RDS Research Methodologist, talks about the role of the RDS advisers and experience they bring when advising or your funding application.

As the new year starts, dip into the RDS blogs to find out how we can support you at every stage of your journey to submitting that successful funding application.

NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Webinar

6 February 2023, 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, online

There is still time to apply to attend the HSDR webinar.

Speakers for the webinar will include:

• a programme manager from the HSDR team who will give an overview of the HSDR remit
• a former HSDR panel member who will speak about what the panel are looking for in an application
• two current HSDR grant holders who will describe their studies
• the Director of RDS East of England (RDS EoE) who will talk about the help available for applicants

Register for the webinar.

Researcher Roadshow – Exploring Health Data Science webinar

1 March 2023, starting at 10.00 am, online

The RDS, Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), the Medical Research Council (MRC) Regulatory Support Centre and NHS Digital are pleased to offer the opportunity to attend the sixth in a series of virtual researcher roadshows.

This free to attend event is aimed at researchers and others working with health and social care datasets who would like to increase their understanding of roles of health data scientists and value of health data science.

The event will bring together health data scientists from the NHS, academia, and industry and provide insights and perspectives on the important work they do.

This event will include presentations on different roles and careers in health data science and different methods and approaches used by health data scientists.

Register for the virtual roadshow.

Essential Guide to Grant Applications 2023 masterclass

8 to 10 March 2023, online

If you have an idea for a health or social care research proposal but require help with writing a grant application, EGGA is for you!

EGGA is a free to attend, three-day masterclass, funded and hosted by NIHR Research Design Service (RDS) South Central, on how to write a grant application that is strong from a methodological point of view, reads well and presents a convincing case for funding.

The masterclass will focus on how to sell your research idea by:

• writing a convincing application with a good structure, flow and argument
• presenting a strong methods section, including statistical, qualitative, health economics and patient and public involvement (PPI) elements
• having a good project plan
• engaging with sources of external support for your research
• making your research idea clear and compelling to reviewers
• offering important tips on writing, along with guidance on what reviewers will be looking for in an application

Find out more about EGGA and register.

NIHR Research for Patient Benefit programme – Regional Advisory Committee Member vacancies

The RfPB Programme is seeking to appoint members to the various Regional Advisory Committees. They are looking for clinicians and senior applied health researchers, social care researchers or practitioners in a number of expertise areas.

RfPB is a regionally-based, response mode programme that makes awards of up to £350,000 for projects of up to three years in length. It funds research covering a wide range of health, public health and social care challenges.

The role of the Regional Advisory Committee is to review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the Programme Director and Department of Health and Social Care.

Committee membership tenure is for two years in the first instance, with the potential for renewal for a further two years. Reasonable travel and expenses are reimbursed.

Vacancies are available on all the RfPB regional committees. The closing date for application is 1 May 2023.

Find out more and apply for the vacancies.

Be Part of Research Volunteer Service

The new Be Part of Research Volunteer Service helps put researchers in contact with people who have expressed an interest in that area of research.

The aim is make it easier for researchers to find participants, and for potential participants to find research opportunities that might be suitable for them.

Volunteers are invited to create an account and give consent to be contacted by the Be Part of Research team. They can indicate which condition areas they are particularly interested in, and provide basic details. The Be Part of Research team can direct them to studies they may be interested in, from studies registered with the service.

Studies on the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) Portfolio, or those that are NIHR-funded, are potentially able to use the service, including commercial and non-commercial studies. The service is free of charge to use.

Find out more about the Volunteer Service.

NIHR 2021 to 2022 annual report

In December, the NIHR published its annual report and accounts, highlighting milestones and achievements during the 2021 to 2022 financial year.

The report features:

• an introduction from Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR
• a compilation of NIHR news highlights from throughout the year
• NIHR’s financial summary for 2021 to 2022

You can read the full report in PDF format (.PDF) and on the NIHR website.

The People Centred Clinical Research project

The NHS Health Research Authority (HRA) people centred clinical research project aims to improve the way clinical research happens in the UK, so that:

• there are more opportunities for more people to take part
• it is better for people who do take part
• there are better health and care decisions
• there is reduced research waste

To do this:

• they are looking at what the existing research literature says
• they are asking people for their views and experiences
• they are sharing what good looks like and making recommendations to help changes in practice

HRA have launched a survey, as part of the project, for you to share your feedback and help improve clinical research.

Find out more about the project.

Other events and webinars

• NIHR Methodology Incubator and NIHR Academy: Discover funding opportunities for qualitative researchers webinar
  Online – 7 February 2023.
• NIHR Three School’s Mental Health Programme – Seminar Series:
  
  • Supported Volunteering at Ripon Museums: ‘De-researchifying’ research processes and methods in a sensitive way – 27 February 2023, online.
  • Collaborating to develop holistic health support for people living with severe mental illness – 15 March 2023, online.
• HDR UK Diversity in Data: Making the future of healthcare inclusive to all
  Online – 14 February 2023.
• Community Nursing Bitesize Research Masterclass: Writing for publication: tips from an editor
  Online – 28 February 2023.
• NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC): ARCFEST
  Liverpool – 7 March 2023.
• Community Nursing Bitesize Research Masterclass: Introduction to qualitative data analysis: Reflexive Thematic Analysis
  Online – 16 March 2023.

NIHR funding opportunities

• Research for Patient Benefit – Competition 50
  Closing 8 March 2023.
• 22/563 Evaluating new models of care for children and young people with excess weight and related complications
  Closing 15 March 2023.
• 22/562 Children and young people’s mental health (HSDR)
  Closing 15 March 2023.
• 22/132 Optimal models for reablement services (HSDR)
  Closing 24 March 2023.
• 22/131 Management of antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction (HTA)
  Closing 29 March 2023.
• NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowships in Dentistry 2022
  Closing 31 March 2023.
• NIHR Clinical Lectureships in Dentistry 2022
  Closing 31 March 2023.
• NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowships in Medicine 2022
  Closing 31 March 2023.
• 22/555 Public Health Research (PHR) Programme researcher-led
  Closing 4 April 2023.
• 22/558 Palliative and end of life care (PHR)
  Closing 4 April 2023.
• 23/12 Health Determinant Research Collaborations (HDRCs)
  Closing 18 April 2023.
• 22/161 NIHR James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships rolling call (EME)
  Closing 25 April 2023.
• 22/557 Palliative and end of life care (EME)
  Closing 25 April 2023.
• 22/564 Evaluating the Efficacy of Metformin in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
  Closing 25 April 2023.
• 22/561 Palliative and end of life care (HSDR)
  Closing 26 April 2023.
• 23/1 Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme researcher-led (primary research)
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 22/560 Palliative and end of life care (HTA)
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 223/2 HTA researcher-led (evidence synthesis)
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 23/3 NIHR NICE rolling call (HTA)
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 23/4 NIHR James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships rolling call (HTA)
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 23/6 Motor Neurone Disease (HTA)
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 23/5 Management of bone metastasis and skeletal related events (SREs) in patients with advanced cancer
  Closing 3 May 2023.
• 23/8 Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews (C(E)TRs) for people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people
  Closing 31 May 2023.
• 22/141 Interventions that impact loneliness (PHR)
  Closing 15 August 2023.

Find more NIHR funding opportunities here.

Request advice on your application.

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