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Oxford  Academic  Health  Science  Network  Masters  in  Evidence-­‐Based  Health  Care  fellowships  

 Oxford  Academic  Health  Science  Network  (Oxford  AHSN)  is  composed  of  health  and  social  care  providers,  NHS  commissioners,  universities,  life  sciences  industry  and  business  and  commercial  organisations  covering  Berkshire,  Buckinghamshire  (including  Milton  Keynes),  Oxfordshire  and  Bedfordshire.  In  2015  Oxford  AHSN  will  fund  seven  Masters  in  Evidence-­‐Based  Health  Care  (MSc  in  EBHC)  at  the  University  of  Oxford  as  part  of  a  three  year  Fellowship.    Available  to  all  NHS  staff  working  within  the  AHSN,  this  Fellowship  combines  a  Masters  qualification  (2yrs)  with  Knowledge  Translation  expertise  taught  in  the  third  year  that  will  provide  the  skills  needed  to  demonstrate  change  in  a  local  setting  as  a  result  of  your  chosen  research  topic.    Oxford  AHSN  is  looking  to  invest  in  passionate  and  committed  healthcare  staff  that  want  to  change  practice  for  the  better.      Successful  candidates  will  benefit  from  

– individual  learning    – operating  in  a  service  that  delivers  best  and  most  effective  practice    – implementation  of  research  

Local  employers  will  benefit  from    – improving  local  health  care,  becoming  the  bench  mark  for  service  delivery  – narrowing  the  gap  between  research  and  practice  – measurable  success  of  intervention  – increased  understanding  of  adoption  processes,  overcoming  local  constraints  

 This  document  includes  details  of  the  person  and  project  specification  required  for  a  successful  Fellowship  proposal  and  application  to  the  MSc.    Please  send  any  proposals  (using  the  template)  for  consideration  to  info@oxfordahsn.org    before  the  deadline  of  16/03/2015.    Those  submitting  proposals  which  meet  the  criteria  will  be  contacted  for  interview  and  notified  within  two  weeks  if  successful.    Full  application  to  Masters  in  Evidence-­‐Based  Health  Care  will  need  to  be  made  before  the  end  of  May  2015  to  be  considered  by  the  University  of  Oxford.    Admissions  Policy      Oxford  AHSN  currently  has  projects  in:  Anxiety  and  Depression;  Children;  Dementia;  Diabetes;  Early  Intervention  in  Mental  Health;  Imaging;  Informatics  and  Medical  Technologies;  Maternity;  Mental  and  Physical  Co-­‐morbidity;  Patient  Safety;  Medicines  Optimisation;  Out  of  Hospital.  Projects  based  on  improving  issues  currently  influencing  practice  in  your  local  setting  will  also  be  considered.    Please  read  through  this  document  carefully  and  discuss  options  with  your  employer  before  considering  applying.    Commitment  for  time  off  to  study  must  be  provided  in  writing  by  your  line  manager.  

   

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Student  specification    

All  applicants  will  be  assessed  on  their  academic  rigour,  individual  merits  and  potential.    

All  candidates  will  need  to:  

• be  a  graduate  or  have  completed  a  professional  training  course  • Have  at  least  2  years  professional  work  experience  in  the  health  service  (or  health-­‐

related  field)  • Be  a  registered  medic,  nurse,  allied  health  professional,  healthcare  scientist,  pharmacist  

or  manager  • identify  a  work  based  problem  for  which  they  will  be  seeking  evidence    • be  able  to  combine  intensive  classroom  learning  with  the  application  of  the  principles  

and  practices  of  evidence-­‐based  health  care  within  the  work  place  • have  a  good  working  knowledge  of  email,  internet,  word  processing  and  Windows  

applications  (for  communications  with  course  members,  course  team  and  administration)  

Successful  candidates  will  normally  provide  evidence  of  all  of  the  following:  

• A  general  interest  in  evidence-­‐based  health  care,  evidenced  by  prior  experience,  interest  and  work  

• Motivation,  influence  and  ability  to  complete  the  course  • A  clear  and  well-­‐argued  understanding  of  the  benefits  of  the  course  to  the  success  of  

Oxford  AHSN  

Interviews  will  be  conducted  either  face-­‐to-­‐face  or  by  telephone/skype  with  at  least  two  members  of  the  teaching  team  and  representation  from  Oxford  AHSN.    References  are  secured  before  discussion  with  the  applicant  takes  place.  The  purpose  of  the  interview  is  to:  

• establish  the  applicant’s  level  of  interest,  motivation  and  potential  to  benefit  from  the  fellowship  

• clarify  any  uncertainties  about  compliance  with  requirements,  (Oxford  AHSN  &  University  of  Oxford  (MSc))  

• ensure  that  candidates  are  fully  informed  of  the  standard  of  achievement  and  level  of  commitment  required  by  the  fellowship  

Proposals  may  be  rejected  without  further  direct  contact  with  the  applicant,  although  candidates  whose  proposals  are  deemed  insufficient  for  entry  to  the  course  may,  on  request,  receive  feedback.  

 

 

   

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Application  to  the  University  of  Oxford  Masters  in  Evidence–Based  Health  Care  requires  the  completion  of  an  application  form,  statements  of  support  from  three  referees  including  evidence  of  financial  and  academic  support  from  the  local  employer.    All  necessary  out  of  pocket  expenses  must  be  processed  in  line  with  employers  own  expenses  policy.  

All  potential  applicants  will  have  access  to  the  detailed,  and  regularly  updated,  description  of  the  MSc  course  as  part  of  the  Fellowship  at  the  EBHC  programme  website.  The  admissions  criteria  above  fulfil  the  Oxford  University  Department  of  Continuing  Education  (OUDCE)  specification  that  are  readily  available  on  the  OUDCE  website,  in  the  Student  Handbook  for  the  programme,  and  in  the  e-­‐handbook  on  the  programme  website.  

The  MSc  application  form  requests  information  about:  

• relevant  prior  or  current  work  experience  • a  statement  of  current  role  and  duties  in  the  candidate’s  organisation    • details  of  any  prior  higher  education  career  • names  of  referees  willing  to  offer  an  opinion  on  the  suitability  of  the  candidate  for  entry  

to  the  course  • evidence  of  employer  commitment  in  the  form  of  a  signed  statement,  from  a  named  

individual  within  the  organisation,  of  willingness  to  release  the  employee  for  attendance  at  the  programme  

• a  statement  from  the  candidate  of  their  objectives  in  attending  the  course  and  their  reasons  for  seeking  to  register  

A  successful  candidate  will  normally  provide  evidence  of  all  of  the  following:  

• a  demonstrated  interest  in  evidence-­‐based  health  care  • motivation  and  ability  to  complete  the  course  • a  clear  and  well-­‐argued  understanding  of  the  benefits  of  the  course  to  the  candidate’s  

current  employment  situation  and  future  prospects  • prior  academic  achievement  in  a  health-­‐related  discipline  at  undergraduate  or  Master’s  

level,  or  successful  completion  of  a  professional  training  course  and  at  least  two  years’  professional  work  experience  in  the  health  service  or  a  health-­‐related  field  

• Applicants  will  be  expected  to  demonstrate  an  approach  to  their  study  which  includes  demonstrable  skills  of  critical  analysis,  wide  contextual  knowledge  and  the  ability  to  manage  their  own  time.  

• employer  financial  and  academic  support    Formal  evidence  of  prior  academic  achievement  is  required.      

   

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Project  specification      The  aim  of  Oxford  AHSN’s  Fellowships  programme  is  to  identify,  improve  and  change  practice  in  a  local  setting.  The  MSc  helps  professionals  in  health  care  base  clinical  and  health  management  decisions  on  valid,  reliable  and  relevant  evidence,  determined  by  sound  scientific  research  and  evaluation.    In  order  to  receive  funding  all  Fellowship  applicants  must  consider  the  following  applied  criteria.    Applicants  whose  planned  project  meets  some  or  all  of  the  criteria  below  will  be  given  higher  priority  than  those  whose  projects  do  not:  

o impacts  the  work  of  one  of  the  Oxford  Academic  Health  Science  Clinical  Networks  

o impacts  the  work  of  more  than  one  of  the  Oxford  Academic  Health  Science  Clinical  Networks  

o impacts  an  area  of  national  priority  not  already  supported  by  one  of  the  existing  Oxford  Academic  Health  Science  Network  Clinical  Networks  

o supports  at  least  two  of  the  Oxford  AHSN  ‘core  objectives’,  namely:  ! Focus  on  the  needs  of  patients  and  local  populations  and  reduce  variation  

of  care  ! Speed  up  adoption  of  innovation  into  practice  to  improve  clinical  outcomes  

and  patient  experience  ! Build  a  culture  of  partnership  and  collaboration  ! Create  wealth  through  co-­‐development,  testing,  evaluation  and  early  

adoption  and  spread  of  new  products  and  services  

These  selection  criteria  are  applied  to  all  applications  for  funding,  at  the  discretion  of  Oxford  AHSN.  

By  the  end  of  the  programme  Oxford  AHSN  Fellows  will  be  expected  to  be  able  to:  

• find  and  appraise  quantitative  and  qualitative  research  evidence  critically  and  efficiently,  and  understand  what  the  results  mean  in  different  contexts  and  for  different  healthcare  decisions  

• integrate  and  synthesise  different  sorts  of  information,  from  diverse  sources,  when  making  individual  patient  and/or  wider  health  policy  decisions  in  a  wide  range  of  situations  

• be  familiar  with  key  issues  for  evidence-­‐based  practice  in  their  own  professional  area  or  specialty  

• work  comfortably  in  situations  of  uncertainty  and  make  sound  judgements  in  the  absence  of  definitive  evidence  

• work  comfortably  in  unpredictable  situations  and  deal  with  complex  issues  systematically  and  creatively  

• have  an  understanding  of  ethical  frameworks  in  health  care  and  be  able  to  apply  ethical  principles  to  practical  issues  

• understand  health  care  organisations,  their  management  and  the  changing  context  in  which  they  operate  

   

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• be  pro-­‐active  in  recognising  the  need  for  change  and  have  the  ability  to  manage  change  • understand  how  to  work  with  colleagues  to  make  informed  decisions  based  on  evidence  

and  operate  effectively  in  a  variety  of  team  roles  • provide  leadership  for  evidence-­‐based  practice  and  research  • manage  projects,  people,  time  and  change  effectively  and  efficiently  • present  and  communicate  information  about  research  evidence  and  evidence-­‐based  

practice  clearly  in  written,  electronic  and  oral  forms  to  a  range  of  audiences  • be  able  to  produce  a  robust  research  protocol,  for  a  variety  of  different  types  of  research  

question,  in  a  format  that  can  be  submitted  as  an  application  for  research  funding  • be  able  to  play  a  lead  role  in  the  conduct  and  presentation  of  research  • have  an  understanding  of  the  ethical  issues  in  health  research  and  research  governance  • routinely  use  the  principles  of  reflective  practice  • plan  implementation  of  MSc  projects  locally  and  across  the  network,  through  a  series  of  

structured  workshops  that  will:  o develop  a  flow  chart  of  processes  needed  to  change  practice  o clarify  the  use  of  evidence  in  a  particular  setting  through  Systematic  Reviews  o audit  current  practice  to  identify  inroads  for  improved  services  o provide  guidance  to  set  up  a  feasibility  study  for  initial  measure  

of  proposed  intervention    

 The  Fellowship  Programme  will  be  completed  over  three  years  and  will  require  a  limited  amount  of  time  out  of  the  workplace.    Each  student  will  be  expected  to  complete  all  the  requirements  in  full  to  successfully  complete  the  Programme:    Over  Years  One  &  Two  –  40  days  

• 30  days  module  study  (6  x  5  day  block  modules),  2  core  modules  to  be  completed  Michaelmas  term  Yr1.  

• 10  days  (Oxford  and  off  site)    o workplace  supervisor  meetings  o conference  attendance/presentation  o additional  workshops  (e.g.  STATA,  SPSS  training)  

Year  One  –  5  additional  days  • up  to  2  days  Oxford  AHSN  Fellow  meetings  • up  to  3  days  academic  supervision  (dissertation  title  guidance)  

Year  Two  –  25  days  • 25  days  Dissertation  write  up  (study  leave/academic  supervisor  meetings)  

 Year  Three  –  35  days    

• up  to  10  days  (Oxford)  KT  Implementation  Workshops  for  Fellows  and  workplace  supervisors  

• Oxford  AHSN  implementation  planning  meetings  • onsite  local  implementation  strategy  

   

   

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Application  Process    

   

Apply for  Fellowship funding   Short  -  list  ?   Interview short    listed applicants  

Offer  Fellowship  funding  ?  

Apply for MSc  Course  

Accepted on to  MSc Course  ?   End  Funding awarded  .  

Commence MSc  

No  Yes  

No  Yes  

No  Yes  

Review  applications  

Requires completion of  application form and a  number of pieces of  supporting information  

In line with University of  Oxford application guidelines  the University reserves the  right to interview applicants  prior to acceptance  

By mid May   Beginning of October  

By mid March  

End March / Early April  

By mid July  

Requires completion of application form and a number of pieces of supporting information