Exploring opportunities for health research collaborations between Australia and the UK

Professor Nigel Mathers & Dr Susan Nancarrow Institute of General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield Trent Research & Development Support Unit

Overview

• Purpose of our visit • About our organisations – Institute of General Practice, University of Sheffield – Trent Research & Development Support Unit (RDSU) – Royal College of General Practitioners, UK • Potential areas of research interest & collaboration – Research capacity building – Research themes

Purpose of our visit

• Potential for mutual learning / sharing • Potential for collaborative / comparative research • Research assessment exercise • European initiatives

About our organisations

• Institute of General Practice and Primary Care, ScHARR • Trent RDSU • Royal College of General Practitioners

Institute of General Practice and Primary Care • Research – 92 bids submitted worth £7.8m

– Total income won £3.9m

– 50% of submitted bids successful – Total annual budget £2.87m (40% from research) – Trent RDSU budget £3m (contract to 2010) • Teaching – MB ChB – CPD

Service Development

• Income 2003-4, £274k – Diabetes education programme – Service evaluation toolkit (DoH) • 3 rd Stream (knowledge transfer) – Consultancy (Primary Care Trusts)

Research Assessment Exercise 2007

• Census date 31 Oct 2006 • Results December 2007 • 4 outputs for each researcher • 15-20 main panels, 70 sub-panels • 4 star quality rating • Free to return any % of research active staff above RA 1

Institute of General Practice, ScHARR Research Themes Evaluation of complex interventions in primary care Research capacity and support Cancer pathways in primary care Rehabilitation

and the management of disability

Teaching and learning Health and social care

Trent RDSU

• 4 universities • 6 counties • 50 staff • £10m until 2005 • Support development of R&D • Research capacity building

Trent RDSU – Capacity Building

Responsive to local need Tailored courses New researchers training programme

Training and development Capacity Building Bursaries

Designated Research Teams Research Capacity Development Awards

Initiate and Collaborate in

Science of building research

Research

capacity PND study

Support networks Research advice and support

Primary Care Researchers Eg support with proposals and funding applications Health Related Social Care (SCARE)

RDSU areas of research and collaboration • Access to a wide range of health services • Collaborative research network (CRN) • Range of methodological expertise – health economics, statistics, qualitative research, clinical trials support unit • Links with over 45 research networks – locally, nationally, internationally • Expertise in diabetes, pharmacology, workforce change, older people’s services, mental health, alcohol and drug, dermatology

www.trentrdsu.org.uk

Research capacity building

The Science of Building Research Capacity Definitions • Research for Practice • Research through Practice • Research by Practice

Evaluating Research Capacity Building

• Outcome Measures “Knowledge Capital” • Process Measures “Social Capital”

RCGP Strategy

Aims (2004-7) • Building Research Capacity and Capability in Primary Care (eg Primary Care Research Team Assessment) • Raising the Profile of Primary Care Research (eg NCCRCD and UKCRC) • Increasing the resources available to support Primary Care Research (eg Scientific Foundation Board and Primary care Awards)

Six Principles of Research Capacity Building (Process) 1. Building skills and confidence 2. Developing linkages and partnerships 3. Ensuring research is ‘close to practice’ 4. Developing appropriate dissemination activities 5. Investing in Infrastructure 6. Sustainability