Finding grant schemes
[email protected]
3 major types of funding
Project- specific idea
Person- fellowships
Program- area of work with workstreams
Multiple sources
• National Governmental level
– NIHR
– MRC
– Wellcome
• Charity
– Broad
– Specific areas
• Local funds
4th strand
• Industry eg Pharma often have schemes
AND/OR will consider direct approaches
• Eg
How to find them
• Google! Check your area and ask for advice
from peers
• Research design service
• Rdinfo www.rdinfo.org.uk
www.rdinfo.org.uk
www.wellcome.ac.uk
What has the NIHR ever done for
research?
Managing evaluation
research on behalf of
the National Institute
for Health Research
Aim
• Outline of what the NIHR does & how it is a
key target for research funding
• Flavour of what’s on offer
Why research is important
for your organisation
•Since 2010 every NHS Trust has been required to
publish an annual Quality Account which is available to
the public. This includes a statement of the number of
patients who were recruited to participate in research
approved by a research ethics committee during that
period.
What is NIHR and what does it mean to me?
• The National Institute for Health Research is the largest
funder of clinical research in the country: Wellcome
£746m; MRC £767m; NIHR just under £1b.
• NIHR supports clinical and applied health & social care
research improving health, well-being and prosperity.
• NIHR is becoming internationally recognised as the
model for organising a health research system.
What have the Romans NIHR done for us?
• Radically increased number of clinical
trials; 1300 new research studies via
the NIHR Clinical Research Network
• Patients recruited more than doubled
to over 0.6m
• Highest proportion of cancer patients
in the world taking part in trials (1 in 6)
• Helped establish research culture in
the NHS: 99% of NHS Trusts now
delivering clinical research
• Helped reverse the decline in numbers
of clinical researchers
Background:
• National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds
•
•
•
•
Research infrastructure (networks, sessions, nurses)
Individuals (AHPs, Nurses, STs/SpRs, Professors)
Platforms
Grants :
many different schemes
– NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC),
Based at the University of Southampton)
The Innovation Pathway
INVENTION
EVALUATION
ADOPTION
DIFFUSION
Creation
• new things
• new ideas
• new techniques
• new approaches
Assessment
• new things
• new ideas
• new techniques
• new approaches
Uptake
• new things
• new ideas
• new techniques
• new approaches
Spread
• new things
• new ideas
• new techniques
• new approaches
Basic Research
Applied
Research
Commissioning
Patient Care
MRC &
Charities
NIHR
NHS
Commissioners
Providers of
NHS services
• Better Quality
• Better Value
The NIHR Health Research System
Faculty
Investigators &
Senior
Investigators
Associates
Trainees
Infrastructure
Universities
Research
Clinical Research
Networks
NHS Trusts
Research Projects
& Programmes
Patients
&
Public
Clinical Research
Facilities, Centres
& Units
Research Schools
Research
Governance
Systems
Research
Information
Systems
Systems
Dr Katy Hester
NIHR fellowships for non medical staff
• Allied Health Professionals scheme- nurses,
physio (PhD Fellowships- eg Sr K Heslop)
• NIHR CAT scheme
• NIHR Biomedical scientists
• Also Knowledge mobilisation fellows….
NIHR fellows
• You are joining a community of over 20,000
researchers, in the NHS, public health, social
care and universities.
• You are part of a family of over 2000 research
trainees
Fellowships
• Early stage ones are about fellow and training
• Later ones are about impacts and developing
the applicants group
• High rate of success locally
NIHR Research Career Pathways
Other Awards
Doctors and Dentists
NIHR Integrated Academic
Training
All Professions
NIHR Fellowships
NIHR Senior
Research
Fellowship
Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health
Professionals
Clinical Academic Training
Level of Award
NIHR/CNO/HEFCE
Senior Academic
Clinical Lecturer
Senior/
Pre-Chair
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NIHR Clinician Scientist
Award
NIHR Career
Development
Fellowship
Senior
Post-Doc
NIHR Post-Doctoral
Fellowship
Early Post-Doc
NIHR/CNO Clinical
Lectureships
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CSO Health
Care Scientist
PostDoctoral
Fellowship
NIHR Clinical
Lectureship
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CSO Health
Care Scientist
Doctoral
Fellowship
NIHR Doctoral
Research
Fellowship
NIHR/CNO Clinical
Doctoral Research
Fellowships
Doctoral
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Masters Health
Economics,
Masters in Med.
Statistics.
In-Practice Fellowships
and NIHR Academic
Clinical Fellowships
NIHR/CNO Masters
in Clinical Research
Pre-Doctoral/
Masters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Undergraduate
Infrastructure
• Research networks until 1.4.14
– Combined Local Research Networks as of today
– North East & North Cumbria LRN
• Funds Trusts nurses, pharmacy, radiographers etc
to support “NIHR Portfolio research”
– Bidding process- based on recruitment and hitting
targets
• Funds Consultants time in job plan to deliver
research
– Bidding process
The Comprehensive Clinical Research Network
Support delivered through
25 Comprehensive Local
Research Networks (CLRNs)
Also work UK-wide
Each CLRN has
clinical/operational
leadership
CLRNs allocate their budget
to hospitals and support a
local workforce of research
nurses etc
All coordinated by a national
coordinating centre
New Clinical Research Network :
Post Transition 15 larger networks
Accessing the UKCRN
portfolio database
http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search/
Managing evaluation research
programmes on behalf of NIHR
• NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies (NETS)
programmes
–
–
–
–
–
Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme
NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme
NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) programme
NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) programme
NIHR Health Services Research (HSR) programme
– NIHR CTU support funding
NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies (NETS)
programmes- from 2012
Health Services
and Delivery Research
NETSCC
from 2012
Health Technology
Assessment
Public Health
Research
Established: 2008
Established: 1993
Efficacy and Mechanism
Evaluation
Funded by the MRC
Managed by NIHR
Established: 2008
Needs-led and science-added
approach for NETS programmes
• Needs-led
The NETS programmes work closely with policy-makers, professionals and
the public to identify areas where high-quality evidence for decisionmaking is needed
• Science-added
because we ask does the proposal meet the scientific quality we insist on,
and how can we support the delivery of quality
• Value for money
because assessment of need and scientific support maximises the
relevance and benefits achievable within a funding stream
We encourage Public and Patient
Involvement
• Closer working with patient/service user organisations on
topic identification
• Open recruitment of wider group of public contributors to
prioritisation and commissioning
• Panels & boards require clear evidence of commitment to PPI
in design and conduct of research
• Wider dissemination of ‘plain English’ findings to interested
communities
• Reference group of public contributors to advise on strategic
development of PPI
Research themes
Research theme
Technology
evaluation
EME

HS&DR
HTA
PHR
Health services &
organisation

Public health






Full and appropriate funding
• We provide:
– Full and appropriate funding because we place no upper limit on the
amount of funding granted for a project
– If the question is important enough and the science requires it, we will
fund it
– University based projects: we fund up to 80% of the Full Economic
Cost (FEC)
– NHS Trust based projects: we fund 100% of the direct costs
– Other organisations are also welcome to apply
The EME programme remit
• The EME programme is broadly aimed at supporting 'science
driven' studies with an expectation of substantial health gain
and aims to support excellent clinical science with an ultimate
view to improving health or patient care
• The remit includes evaluations of new treatments, including
therapeutics (small molecule and biologic), psychological
interventions, public health, diagnostics and medical devices.
Treatments or interventions intended to prevent disease are
also included
Managed Translational Pathway
Translating science into better health
• MRC: can it work?
• EME: does it work?
• HTA: is it worth it?
• The EME programme is funded by the MRC and NIHR, with
contributions from the CSO in Scotland, NISCHR in Wales and
the HSC R&D, Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland
• It is applicable to all parts of the UK
Types of
Research
Researcher-led
Commissioned
Primary Research;
Clinical efficacy
of interventions
Primary Research;
Large stage projects
Clinical efficacy
of interventions
Who defines
the question?
Frequency
Per year
Researcher
Continuous with
3 submission
deadlines
EME programme
3 calls per year
Examples of EME funded research
Evaluation of Image
Guided Radiotherapy
(IGRT) for more
accurate Partial Breast
Intensity-Modulated
Radiotherapy:
comparison with
standard imaging
technique
[£308,362]
Professor Phil Evans
Institute of Cancer
Research,
Royal Marsden NHS
Foundation Trust
Renal protection against
ischaemia-reperfusion in
transplantation
[£811,528]
Professor Raymond
MacAllister
University College
London
A Randomised DoubleBlind, Placebo-Controlled
Study to Evaluate the
Efficacy of Oral
Azithromycin as a
Supplement to Standard
Care for Adult Patients with
Acute Excaberbations of
Asthma
[£1,092,118]
Professor Sebastian
Lennox Johnston
Imperial College London
NIHR Health Technology
Assessment programme
• Purpose and Remit
To deliver information about the effectiveness, costs and broader
impact of healthcare treatments and tests for those who plan,
provide or receive care in the NHS
• The HTA programme includes
The programme includes all interventions used to promote health,
prevent or treat disease, improve rehabilitation or long-term care
including drugs, devices, procedures, settings of care and screening
The HTA programme funding workstreams:
Types of
Research
Primary research
Feasibility & pilot
Evidence synthesis
Commissioned
Clinical
evaluation
Researcher Led
NICE Guidance
Who defines
the question?
Frequency
Per year
HTA programme
4 calls
Primary research
Feasibility & pilot
Researcher
Evidence synthesis
Theme from HTA
programme
Themed Calls Primary research
Evidence synthesis Question from
researcher
Specific technology
NICE
assessment
Continuous with
4 closing dates
1 call
Direct referral to
On-contract
teams
Examples of HTA funded research
A randomised control
trial to compare
minimally invasive
glucose monitoring
devices to conventional
monitoring in the
management of insulin
treated diabetes mellitus
(MITRE)
[£955, 189]
Dr Steven John Hurel
University College
London
CRASH2 Trial, a large
randomised placebo
controlled trial among
trauma patients with
significant haemorrhage
of the effects of an
antifibrinolytic treatment
on death and transfusion
requirement
[£2,545,661]
Professor Ian Roberts
London School of
Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine CTU
A multicentre randomised
controlled trial of an
intelligent system to
support decision making in
the management of labour
using the cardiotocogram
(INFANT)
[£5,957,981]
Professor Peter
Brocklehurst
Institute for Women’s
Health,
University College London
TWICS trial- currently open now
THEOPHYLLINE WITH INHALED
CORTICOSTEROIDS 12 MONTH STUDY
LED ABERDEEN; NEWCASTLE,
BIRMINGHAM ETC
DEVELOP- EVLP IN LUNG
TRANSPLANTATION
Propose a study to the NIHR HTA
http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/identifying-research/make-a-suggestion
Research for Patient Benefit
• Responsive scheme, funding research:
– arising from daily practice in the NHS.
– developed between NHS and other partners.
– with potential for influencing practice.
• Annual budget of £25m p.a.
• 3 funding competitions per year.
• Regional funding panels.
RfPB scope
• Regionally commissioned health services and
public health research - qualitative and
quantitative designs to:
• Study the provision and use of NHS services.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of
interventions.
• Examine the resource utilisation of alternative means
for healthcare delivery.
• Formally scrutinise innovations and developments.
• Pilot or feasibility studies.
RfPB requirements
• Principle investigator and up to six co-applicants.
 Strong research team with expertise
covering all aspects of the proposal.
• Maximum of three years of funding up to a value
of £250,000 (possibly £350,000).
• NHS Trust holds the money.
• University academic partners are actively
encouraged.
RfPB requirements
• Main research outcome of some tangible form of
PATIENT BENEFIT.

Ideally the results will impact directly
on current practice.
• Strong evidence of Patient-Public involvement
(PPI) in the design stages of the research as
well as in the running of the study and in the
dissemination of its results.
• Clear plans for dissemination.
HS&DR background
The HSDR programme builds on the strengths and
contributions of two existing programmes – Service
Delivery and Organisation (SDO) and Health Services
Research (HSR) research programmes
► Purpose and Remit
To produce rigorous and relevant evidence on the quality, access
and organisation of health services.
► History
This is a new programme and will be launched in January 2012.
Types of
Research
Who defines
the question?
Frequency
Per year
Commissioned
Primary research
Evidence synthesis
HS&DR
programme
3 calls per year
(6+ topics)
Researcher-led
Primary research
Evidence synthesis
Researcher
3 calls per year
Examples of SDO/HSR funded research
In-patient alternatives
to traditional mental
health acute in-patient
care
[£584,544]
Improving the
effectiveness of
multidisciplinary
team meetings for
patients with chronic
diseases
[£695,002]
Dr Mike Slade
King’s College London
Professor Rosalind
Raine
University College
London
Investigating the
contribution of
Physician Assistants to
primary care in
England
[£413,625]
Professor Vari
Drennan, Kingston
University & St
George's, University of
London
So I have an idea…………..
► Think about PICO
►
►
►
►
Patient
Intervention
Comparator
Outcome
► Think about scheme(s)
► Contact a Research design service…
What the NIHR funds someone to help me ask the NIHR for tons of
cash????
► They fund a trials “prematch fitness” team called the NIHR
Research Design service RDS
► Free service funded by the NHS National Institute of Health
Research (NIHR).
► Supports development of research projects for submission to
NIHR funding programmes.
► Provides advice and help with research design and research
funding applications.
RDS provide help with:
•Formulating research questions.
•Identifying appropriate funding programmes.
•Evidence review.
•Epidemiological techniques.
•Methodological advice.
•Statistics.
•Health economics and economic evaluation.
•Qualitative methods.
•Patient-public Involvement (PPI).
But I want to give patients drugs….
► The NIHR also fund a clinical trials unit (CTU)
► This unit doesn’t work like the clinical research facility/
William Leech.. (where trials activity are done)
► Its more like a contract research organisation (eg Quintiles/
Parexel – where trials management is conducted)
► NIHR CTUs are now essential
► They will charge (take away the pain of..) Regulatory filing MHRA
approvals, trials set up etc
In summary
► The UK government wants the NHS to be research active
► Your Trust gets kudos and £ to do so
► New Consultants and existing ones can develop time to write
grants (NIHR Research capability funding) and time to deliver
grants (NIHR Network sessions)
► There are people orientated schemes
► There are a myriad of project schemes….
Applying to NETS programmes
• Have you established that your research idea is within remit? Talk to the
programmes concerned or consult the NETSCC web pages for advice:
www.netscc.ac.uk/funding/which_programme.asp
• Is your research feasible? For example - design complexity, participant
recruitment and retention.
• Patient and public involvement?
Applying to NETS programmes cont.
• Have you clearly explained your research question and made clear why
this is an important topic?
• Have you explained how your research will fit/add to existing knowledge?
• Have you used appropriate outcome measures?
• Have you sought guidance / involvement from a CTU / RDS?
• Is your team appropriately multi-disciplinary and sufficiently experienced?
• Is your research realistically costed and does it offer value-for-money?
Applying to NETS programmes cont.
• Is the cost proportional to the disease / health issue in question, and does
your topic clearly justify the cost requested?
• Have you consulted with any relevant research networks to determine
whether they can contribute / support?
• Is your application clearly structured and written in language easily
understood by non-experts?
• Have you properly proof-read your documents?
Current funding opportunities
• Programme-specific calls
• EME, HTA and SDO currently have calls open
• A six month call summary is available on our website:
www.netscc.ac.uk/funding/funding_timetable.asp
Supporting researchers
• Wealth of information at
www.netscc.ac.uk
– Remit check form
– Call dates
• Individual programme
websites:
– FAQs
– Guidance
• Further advice: contact
RDS or contact us directly
Further information
Visit: www.netscc.ac.uk
Email: [email protected]
Thank you
Managing evaluation
research on behalf of
the National Institute
for Health Research
Eligibility
• EME researcher-led workstream uses research council eligibility criteria
and is open to applicants from the whole of the UK. The EME
commissioned workstream requires all applications to be in the form of a
significant collaboration between at least two of the following partners;
industry, academia, and the NHS.
• HTA, PHR and HS&DR [HSR, SDO] have broader eligibility criteria and will
consider applications from any applicants who consider that they are able
to conduct the study.
Funding streams
► Researcher-led workstream (2-stage application)
► Occasional highlight notices
► Outline proposals are assessed by the Programme Advisory
Board for public health importance
► Outline proposals are shortlisted, and full proposals are
assessed by the Research Funding Board for scientific quality,
feasibility and value for money.
► Commissioned mode (two stage application)
► Commissioning briefs developed and prioritised by Programme
Advisory Board
► Outline proposals are shortlisted, and full proposals are
assessed by the Research Funding board for scientific quality,
feasibility and value for money.
PHR background
► Purpose and Remit
The PHR programme evaluates non-NHS public health
interventions for benefits, costs, acceptability and wider
impact and to reduce inequalities in health
► History
The PHR programme was launched in Autumn 2008.
► Unique characteristics
Non-health care settings
Intervention evaluation
Wide range of methodologies supported
Examples of PHR funded research
A population-level
evaluation of a familybased community
intervention for
childhood overweight
and obesity
[£417,845]
‘On the buses': evaluating
the impact of introducing
free bus travel for young
people on the public
health
[£536,226]
Crime, fear of crime
(CFOC) and mental health:
evidence synthesis of
theory and effectiveness of
interventions
[£391,169]
Professor Catherine
Law
Institute for Child
Health,
University College
London
Dr Judith Green
Public Health & Policy
Department,
London School of
Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine
Professor Mark Petticrew
London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine