e-newsletter...a team at the university of manchester dental hospital, led by professor martin...
TRANSCRIPT
The Research Design Service (RDS) supports research teams to develop and submit high quality applied health and social care grant applications to NIHR and other national peer-reviewed funding programmes.
We offer specialist advice on all aspects of an application including:
• designing a research study• research methods (qualitative and
quantitative)• identifying suitable sources of
funding• involving patients and public in
research design• identifying potential academic,
clinical and lay collaborators.
Our advice is confidential and free of charge. Request advice here.
Version 1.0 - 2014-03-04, © Lancaster University
www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk
Adviser spotlight: Associate Director, Cumbria and Lancashire
Research Design Service North West (RDS NW)
e-Newsletter
In this issue
RDS NW patient and public (PPI) involvement videos
RDS NW patient and public involvement update
Contact details
RDS NW patient and public (PPI) involvement videosOn the RDS NW website you will find a number of videos. Here we just want to highlight two PPI videos presented by our specialist PPI advisers, Dr Tracey Williamson and Dr Paula Byrne.
The first video entitled, " Patient and public involvement common challenges" covers a number of issues that may arise during the process of including PPI in your research proposal development. These include:
• obtaining funding for PPI activities• paying members of the public for involvement• locating and identifying members of the public to involve• issues relating to training members of the public• representativeness.
The second video will be of interest to those who are applying to our PPI bursary scheme. Bursaries provide up to £350 to fund PPI activity during the development of a research proposal. The video provides guidance covering:
• why bursaries have been made available• who can apply for a bursary• when should a bursary application be made
• what costs are covered by a bursary• the application process• evaluation of the bursary scheme.
To view either of these videos visit the PPI video page of our website.
You will also find numerous videos on various aspects of research design and funding on our event archive page.
Coordinating CentreLancaster University01524 [email protected]
Cumbria and Lancashire Local TeamLancaster University01524 [email protected]
Greater Manchester Local TeamManchester University0161 306 [email protected]
Mersey and Cheshire Local TeamLiverpool University0151 795 [email protected]
Number 8 - April 2014
Health economics frequently asked questions
How can the Research Design Service help you?
The North West People in Research Forum update
How can the Research Design Service help you?
News in brief
RDS NW case studies
PPI common challenges video
PPI bursary guidance video
RDS NW patient and public involvement (PPI) update
2
The North West People in Research Forum (NWPiRF) update
The NWPiRF is holding an event on public involvement in social care research on 30 June 2014. Peter Beresford will be the key note speaker.
The forum and Salford Royal Foundation NHS Trust R&D team organised an event for public involvement leads, Patient and Public Involvement in Research: Practice sharing and innovations in November 2013. Simon Denegri, Bella Starling, Mandy Wearne and Rachel Georgiou presented.
The forum also held the event "The Value of Working Together" in December 2013, facilitated by Derek Stewart and Bella Starling.
Ann Jacoby, Carrol Gamble and Katherine Froggatt presented and Philip Bell spoke about his experiences as a public contributor. Workshops explored the value of working together throughout the research cycle and how to improve involvement in research in the North West.
The training information resource developed by the Training Working Group will be available through the NWPiRF website soon.
The NWPiRF supported two more Building Research Partnerships training workshops in partnership with Macmillan and Cumbria and Lancashire CLRN.
Ensuring you get the best possible PPI advice All RDS NW advisers are able to provide you with PPI advice concerning your proposal. In order to ensure that you are receiving the best possible advice from our advisers, we have a number of ways of ensuring their PPI knowledge is up-to-date.
Supported by specialist PPI advisers
We have a team of specialist PPI advisers who have the responsibility of keeping our advisers' knowledge concerning PPI up-to-date. They work with other Research Design Service (RDS) regions, INVOLVE, the North West People in Research Forum and other relevant organisations to ensure the RDS NW has the latest information and knowledge concerning PPI.
Support provided to our advisers
As well as individual support, where advisers need it, the PPI team carry out a biannual staff survey to assess any areas where advisers may need training in order to improve their knowledge. Our recent survey reveals that all of our staff have good levels of PPI knowledge. Any areas where knowledge needs to be improved are identified through the survey. Our PPI team then develop and provide training to ensure knowledge levels are excellent.
RDS NW PPI bursary
Our PPI bursary scheme is proving to be an extremely popular and valuable part of our advice service. The bursary provides researchers, who are already in receipt of RDS NW advice for the development of their funding application for which
the bursary applies, with up to £350 to support the costs of involving patients and the public in developing the proposal. To find out more about our PPI bursary scheme and how to apply for one, visit the bursary page on the RDS NW website.
RDS NW client wins PPI award
Dr Dawn Edge has accepted a prestigious award from the NIHR Mental Health Research Network (MHRN). Dr Edge’s study entitled ‘Culturally-adapted Family Intervention (CaFI) for African Caribbeans with schizophrenia and their families: A feasibility study of implementation and acceptability’, which received RDS NW advice on PPI, was recognised for the quality of service user involvement. This is an annual award for a study that has received support from the MHRN that is judged to have outstanding service user involvement. The judges recognised the study as a major achievement and made some very complimentary comments about it.
Dr Dawn Edge (left) receives prize for outstanding PPI
About the adviser
Dr Eugenio Zucchelli, RDS NW frontline adviser at Lancaster University was appointed Lecturer in Health Economics at Lancaster University in January 2013, based currently within the Health Economics at Lancaster (HEAL) research group. Between 2009 and 2012, he was a Research Fellow in the Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG), Centre for Health Economics (CHE), University of York, where he remains an External Affiliate. In addition he is a Faculty Associate at the Canadian Centre for Health Economics (CCHE), University of Toronto. Between 2006 and 2008, he was a Visiting Scholar at Monash University (Centre for Health Economics and Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics), Melbourne. He holds a PhD in Economics and an MSc in Public Economics both awarded by the University of York. He became a frontline adviser for the RDS NW in
Health economics frequently asked questions
January 2013.
What is Health Economics and what does it add to the design of a grant proposal?
Health Economics is the branch of economics that is concerned with the application of economic tools and methods to the analysis of health and health care. I should underline that Health Economics does not exclusively mean cost-effectiveness analysis or economic evaluation of health technologies but it is a much wider and versatile subject that studies other important issues such as the behavioural determinants of health, the evolution of an individuals’ health status along the life-cycle, the demand and supply for health insurance, the rational for government interventions in health care markets and the trade-off between equity and efficiency in health care. As such, health economics could provide a rigorous analytical framework that may inform the overall design of a research project.
When should you start planning to include a health economics component in a grant proposal?
If relevant to the project, I would advise considering the inclusion of health economics tools and principles at the very beginning as an integral part of the proposal. This would greatly help to frame the proposal in a more rigorous way.
How can the RDS NW help in the health economics aspects of your grant proposal?
RDS NW has experts across the North West who specialise in health economics and who also have expertise is particular areas of health economics for example my main research expertise is in applied microeconometrics and health economics. My current research interests encompass the economics of addiction and risky health-behaviours, the impact of health on labour supply, econometric methods for the evaluation of public health interventions, structural econometric modelling and the relationships between early life conditions, education and health. My work involves the development and application of econometric methods on large and complex datasets.
3
Dr Eugenio Zucchelli
New Research Design Service website
A new RDS website has been recently launched and provides a one-stop access point for RDS services.
OK to Ask campaign materials now available
On International Clinical Trials Day (ICTD) 2014 on 20th May, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and NHS partners will be promoting the fact that it’s ‘OK to ask’ about clinical research.
Questions that need answering when designing clinical trials
The Health Research Authority has now published guidance to clarify which questions researchers, sponsors, peer reviewers, and ethics committees should ask when planning or reviewing clinical studies.
News in brief
A randomised controlled trial comparing the quality of life (QoL) and masticatory efficiency of patients with implant-retained (IRMO) compared with mini-implant-retained mandibular overdentures (MIRMO).
It is estimated that there are over three million people in the UK who have no teeth at all. There is national and international evidence that these patients should be provided with dental implants in the lower jaw to help to retain their lower denture. However, this treatment is costly and considered invasive by potential patients.
A team at the University of Manchester Dental Hospital, led by Professor Martin Tickle and Dr Craig Barclay, have secured a NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) award of £250,000 to fund a pilot randomised controlled trial comparing standard dental implants to smaller diameter ‘mini’ implants, which are cheaper and simpler to place.
This project was propelled into action when a member of the research team attended an RDS NW RfPB development series in the autumn of 2011.
The project was also awarded a PPI bursary from
Research Design Service North West case studies
4
the RDS NW to help with the inclusion of PPI in the proposal development.
Mark Harrison and Tanya Walsh from the RDS NW Greater Manchester team provided advice in areas including: evaluation design, health economics, statistics, trial design and they also critically read the proposal.
Warm thanks to all those who helped facilitate this research.
A randomised controlled trial of thoracic epidural analgesia versus rectus sheath catheters for open midline incisions in major abdominal surgery within an Enhanced Recovery Program (TERSC)
Dr Anton Krige, a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthesia as well as the Clinical lead for the Enhanced Recovery Programs at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, has a particular interest in providing good pain relief to patients after major surgery so that patients can recover quickly and avoid post-operative complications.
Dr Krige approached the RDS NW for advice on how to develop his research idea of comparing the most common approach of pain relief - epidural, and another approach - Rectus Sheath Catheters (RSCs). Epidurals, which use a fine tube being placed in the spine through which local anaesthetic is given, numbing the nerve supply to the abdomen and controlling the pain, can be very effective but they do have a number of possible side effects including common side effects such as headaches and low blood pressure as well as very rare side effects such as nerve injury.
The Rectus Sheath Catheters can be used when surgery involves a midline (vertical) incision of the abdomen. In this technique, local anaesthetic is infused directly into the abdominal wall, blocking the nerves around the wound site. An
old technique, RSCs are now in use again as ultrasound allows doctors to site the catheters accurately between the muscle layers of the abdomen.
Many of the side effects associated with epidurals do not apply to rectus sheath catheters and this may confer an advantage. However, no formal research had been conducted and so it is not known for sure which technique results in the best pain relief with the least side effects. This is the question that the TERSC research study aims to answer.
Prof Martin Tickle, Ms Sarra Jawad and Dr Craig Barclay
Dr Anton Krige
5
Dr Siobhan Reilly was appointed Associate Director, Cumbria and Lancashire for the RDS NW in January 2014 shortly after arriving at the Division of Health Research at Lancaster University as a Senior Lecturer. Siobhan has an extensive background in health service research in various settings funded by the Department of Health and the NIHR, including a NIHR School for Primary Care training fellowship from 2010 to 2013. She was previously Research Fellow based in the Centre for Primary Care and Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester.
The doctoral and post-doctoral research has provided good methodological training in various health and social care settings and has enabled the development of strong analytical and research synthesis skills. In the last few years she has also led two Cochrane systematic reviews shortly to be published: “Collaborative care approaches for people with severe mental illness” and “Case management approaches to home support for people with dementia”. These have continued her interest in the evaluation of complex interventions and the importance of implementation research and process evaluations.
Siobhan’s research interests focus on the policy, practice, organisation and delivery of health and social care services, particularly in relation to the integration and coordination of health and social care services for people with mental health problems, for older people with long term conditions including those with dementia. Her work utilises mixed methods
approaches. She is currently working with colleagues from the University of Manchester, where she holds an honorary research contract, and the University of York and is joint Principal Investigator on a NIHR School for Primary Care Research (NSPCR) funded project from 2012 to 2014: Exploring the physical health and primary care management of people with severe mental illness (SMI) using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. In this epidemiological study, covering the period 2000 to 2012 the research team aim to determine the frequency of primary care usage number and pattern of comorbidities in patients with SMI compared with those without SMI, establish the extent of the relationship between different aspects of SMI and comorbidity and assess quality of care following the introduction of incentives in 2004 and 2005.
Adviser spotlight: Associate Director, Cumbria and Lancashire
Dr Siobhan Reilly
Dr Krige approached the RDS NW for general advice on how to apply for the RfPB programme and was allocated an adviser who initially explored the options for the appropriate research study design to develop to answer Dr Krige’s research questions.
The adviser brought on board other methodological advisers as required in clinical trial design, qualitative methods and health economics.
Dr Krige and his team attended a dedicated advice support programme organised by the RDS NW for applicants to the RfPB programme.
The RDS NW also provided advice on how to develop the proposal further with PPI and these activities were supported by the RDS NW PPI bursary to facilitate the bringing together of past
patients who had undergone such surgery in the past to advise on the most appropriate design and study materials ahead of a submission for RfPB funding. Some of these patients have since agreed to stay with the project by being involved in managing and delivering the study now that patients are being recruited into the TERSC study.
This is the first research grant that Dr Krige has been awarded in his role as a hospital consultant.
The RDS NW were able to recommend other research methodologists who may be interested in supporting the application for funding and becoming co-applicants.
The project was successful in securing over £249,000 in funding.
One in a series organised by the RDS NW to highlight national funding opportunities for applied health and social care research. We aim to give re-searchers a better understanding of funding priori-ties, application processes and future plans and an opportunity for dialogue with panel members and successful grant holders. For more details visit the seminar website here.
RfPB programme seminar 16 June 2014 - Manchester
We welcome your feedback
Please send any feedback [email protected].
We are always striving to improve the service we offer you. We welcome feedback on any aspect of our service including our website and this newsletter.
Version 1.0 - 2014-03-04, © Lancaster University
Research Design Service North West (RDS NW)
Funding deadlines Useful links and resources
NHS Health Research Authority Research Community
NIHR Research Programmes hub
UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) Public Involvement
OK to ask 2014
Funding opportunities for research and for career development
Social Services Research Group
People in Research
Clinical Trials Toolkit
Efficacy and Mechanism EvaluationCommissioned research
Closing date 3 June 2014
Efficacy and Mechanism EvaluationResearcher-led research
Closing date 17 June 2014
Invention for Innovation8th call
Closing date 9 July 2014 Health Technology AssessmentResearcher-led research
Closing date 16 July 2014
NIHR: Latest calls for proposals.
Eventsi4i Life Sciences Accelerator programme
Henley-on-Thames 2 to 3 June 2014
Annual R&D Management Forum in association with the Health Research Authority
Birmingham 9 to 10 June 2014
User involvement in social care and social work research
Manchester 30 June 2014
The UK Clinical Research Facility Network 10th annual conference
Sheffield 3 to 4 July 2014
NHS R&D Conference: Let's Talk Research
Bolton 24 to 25 September 2014
For further events in the North West and nationally please visit the RDS NW website at: www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk.Please always check the event or funder website for the latest information and dates.