What the NIHR Research Design Service (RDS) can do to support you Dr Maureen Twiddy

NIHR RDS role “To offer fit for purpose advice and support on research design and methodology to researchers making funding applications” “To increase the number and proportion of high quality applications for funding” “To provide consistent national coverage, with a focus on NIHR Programmes”

RDS do more than design Identifying appropriate funding sources Contacting appropriate collaborators in research Building an appropriate team Involving patients and carers Writing plain English summaries Identifying the resources required “Grantsmanship” – getting the narrative right Signpost researchers to specialised support

How can the RDS help? Research Proposal Cost issues Recruitment Appropriate time scale? Meaningful & appropriate Cohort, case-control, RCT, ethnographic, interview Multidisciplinary team Involvement of patients and public Feasibility Research team Study Design Scope Consent Appropriate funding stream Ethical considerations Research Proposal Peer-reviewed journals Grey literature Registered trials database Benefit to NHS and patients Impact Literature

What the RDS does not do: Write the application / protocol Help develop a project where there is no intention of submitting it to a recognised funding stream Support applications that are not research (e.g. audit) Provide supervision or informal support for students Post award support (unless named co-applicant) Continue to support applications where the work has remained unchanged from previous submitted versions

Working with the RDS Book an ‘early’ appointment with the RDS summary of research idea/s Face to face meeting first point of contact with a generalist follow-up meetings with specialists e.g. Health Economist Review of application

Initial meeting with the RDS Assessment Importance of the question Existing research Potential funding streams Study design – is it a trial Clinical area Feasibility of recruitment strategy Track record of team PPI Costs; research, treatment, excess treatment

PICO(s) PICO can help you define your research question or bring together a search strategy for literature reviews: Patient/population – who or what Intervention – how Comparison – what is the main alternative Outcome – what are you trying to accomplish/measure/improve/ effect? Study – what study design will you use to answer your question.

Sheffield email: rds-yh@sheffield. ac Sheffield email: rds-yh@sheffield.ac.uk Tel: 0114 222 0828 (general enquiries) Leeds email: rds-yh@leeds.ac.uk Tel: 0113 343 6966 (general enquiries) York email: rds-yh@york.ac.uk Tel: 01904 321 726 (general enquiries) www.rds-yh.nihr.ac.uk