Priority setting by research teams or priority setting for research teams?
Research funders use a range of approaches to decide what to fund. Some rely largely on researchers who are well informed about advances in their areas of interest -
'responsive' research programmes - where individuals or teams submit plans for research that are within the funder's broad scope of interest, and the funder decides which to support. The funder may include patients or clinicians in that decision, and encourage researchers to include patients or clinicians in planning research.
[1] The
NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme is a responsive programme funding high quality, investigator-led research with and for health service staff about their day-to-day practice.
To read more about the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme, click here
The NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme This programme encourages researchers to work with patients and clinicians when planning, conducting and reporting research.
Indeed, research applications were rejected where the research team had
not made contact with the clinicians and other service providers whose
co-operation was clearly going to be vital, not only for securing
access to patients but for generating interest in and 'ownership' of the findings
that would emerge. Patients and patient groups were also often
neglected. Consultation over findings was considered insufficient.
Involvement of patients in the development of proposals and the conduct
of the research was often perceived as crucial to the success of a
project.
"Health care practitioners are in daily touch with patients and their needs. Both groups deserve a role in shaping the research agenda and creating the evidence base that will improve patients' lives. This new NIHR programme is about exactly this, and I am delighted to be associated with it." Professor Celia Davies, Director of NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme, 2006-2009.
Click
here to read more.
Those responsible for other research programmes decide what research they would like conducted, and advertise for researchers to conduct it -
'commissioned' research programmes. Several teams may bid for the work, and the funder chooses between them. Commissioned programmes may involve patients and clinicians in deciding what research needs to be done, or which team should do it, and encourage researchers to work with clinicians and patients in deciding how the research is then done.
[2] For example, the
NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme is a commissioned programme producing independent research about the effectiveness of different healthcare treatments and tests for those who receive, manage and provide care in the NHS.
For another example of a commissioned research programme, click here.
The
NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme aims to aims to produce rigorous and relevant evidence on the quality, access and organisation of health services, including costs and outcomes. The programme will enhance the strategic focus on research that matters to the NHS including research on implementation and a range of knowledge mobilisation initiatives. It will be keen to support ambitious evaluative research to improve health services.
For practical advice in this Guidebook on working with commissioned and responsive research programmes, click
here.
1. Staley K and Hanley B. Scoping research priority setting (and the presence of PPI in priority setting) with UK clinical research organisations and funders. James Lind Alliance, December 2008.
2. Staley K and Hanley B. Scoping research priority setting (and the presence of PPI in priority setting) with UK clinical research organisations and funders. James Lind Alliance, December 2008.
