Shall we meet for coffee?
Experiments in ways of bridging
the researcher commissioner
gap: an implementation project
Rachel Anthwal
Jude Carey
Dr Lesley Wye
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Knowledge mobilisation is ……
……turning research into action.
Knowledge is created. Much of it is shared. Some of it
is used. Across industries and sectors we share the
ambition that more useful knowledge is generated
and translated into practice, to increase the impact of
research and improve the way we work. Knowledge
mobilisation is often about working 'in the middle', at
the interface between research and practice. It brings
together different worlds with different goals and
different functions.
Health Improvement Scotland
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
NHS Management Fellowship
 Build links between two communities
 Provide NHS commissioner perspective:


Research planning
Dissemination




Active member of research team
Gain research experience and knowledge
Evaluate effectiveness
12 and 18 month secondments into Centre for
Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol
 NHS Managers (commissioning backgrounds)
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Workplan
1. Literature review
2. Developing KM strategies for research
projects
3. Responding to opportunities
4. Research Aware questionnaire
5. Supporting Health Integration Teams
6. Developing service evaluation models
7. Coordinating an evaluation of the fellowship:
 process
 outcome
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Literature Review
 What are effective ways to put research into
practice?
 Research skills:



Literature searching
Critical appraisal
Structure and writing
 Familiarisation with topic



Theoretical frameworks
Barriers and facilitators
Practical approaches
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Findings
 Build productive relationships
 Develop mutual understanding and trust between
the two communities
 For researchers - focus on tailored and targeted
delivery of key actionable messages from findings
 Requires capacity, capability and incentive within
the two communities to facilitate the process
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Developing KM strategies
 Informed by literature review
 Workshop with researchers


Who, what and how
Key actionable messages
 Meetings with commissioners


Comment on research findings
Input into dissemination
 Putting it into action – stakeholder engagement,
briefing notes, website, video, twitter
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Responding to opportunities
Looking for any and all opportunities to link researchers
and commissioners (and providers) together:
 developing and commenting on grant proposals
 mapping and creating introductions between
commissioners and researchers
 explaining the new NHS landscape
 inviting researchers and commissioners to key events
and meetings
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
…where it did work!
 Intervention: Face to face meeting with researcher
interested in submitting a research proposal.
Commissioner contacts supplied, fellow prepared the
ground with local commissioners, researcher followed up
and included commissioner responses in successful bid.
 Learning: Just supplying email addresses is not enough.
Fellow acting as a broker to introduce virtually or directly
the researcher is more likely to result in a productive
relationship.
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
…where it didn’t work!
 Intervention: Being attached to urgent care research
project:



availability of the fellow?
understanding and availability of the PI?
stage of research?
 Learning:

Best input by commissioners:
• research planning
• dissemination

Best development of commissioners:
• fieldwork
• analysis

Fit is important
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Evaluation
 Process, benefits and outcomes
Internal evaluation
 Reflective logs, meeting minutes, quarterly reports
 South West Society for Academic Primary Care
workshop feedback:
 13 out of 18 responses
 8 out of 13 have completed their pledges
 A more pro-active approach:
- in research development
- in research dissemination
- in a clinical leadership role with a commissioner
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Evaluation
External evaluation
30 interviews planned with recipients of the knowledge
brokering activities carried out by the NHS fellows:




Relationship building
Advice and consultation
Awareness raising
Grant development
Progress:


15 interviews conducted
12 researcher and 3 commissioner interviews to
date
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Preliminary findings
1. Scheme and objectives viewed positively by both
2. Need more understanding of each other’s worlds
3. Acknowledgement that brokers help ‘close the gap’ by:
 explaining the landscape
 providing appropriate commissioning contacts
 making personal introductions
 providing ongoing advice / reassurance etc….
4. Being introduced to an approachable / accessible
commissioner allows researchers to gain understanding
of the possibilities / opportunities
5. Lesley Wye acting as a facilitator between fellows and
academics helped
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
‘Let’s go for coffee’
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL
Thank you
Rachel Anthwal – [email protected]
Jude Carey – [email protected]
Lesley Wye – [email protected]
School of
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE
University of
BRISTOL