1. NIHR Research Design Service East Midlands
Martin Williams
I hope some of you have used an RDS in the past and that you found it useful when you did.

2. Research Design Service
The Research Design Service was set up by the Department of Health in 2008
We support researchers applying for NATIONAL peer-reviewed funding schemes for health and social care research
National Institute for Health Research
Other Department of Health
Research Councils e.g. Medical Research Council
National Charities e.g. Wellcome Trust, CRUK
RDS EM is part of a network of regional support services funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
We provide free design and methodological support to health and social care researchers who are developing applications to NIHR and other applied health national, peer-reviewed funding programmes
We support researchers at all stages of preparing research project & fellowship applications
We actually support anyone bidding to any national peer-reviewed funding scheme for applied health-related research – so not just NIHR.

3. RDS East Midlands Bases in Leicester and Nottingham Team includes:
Medical statisticians
Health economists
Epidemiologists
Behavioural scientists
Qualitative methodologists
Social scientists
PPI experts
Information specialists

4. RDS supported applications
Nationally:
~2800 new projects
~ 750 fist stage/outline submissions
~ 1100 full/one-stage submissions
Applicants supported by an RDS are more likely to pass outline stages of competitions and their overall success rate is higher.
>40% of applications supported by RDS EM are successful

5. Getting advice from the RDS
Contact us through our website, by or ‘phone.
Normally ask researchers to provide a little information by completing a form on our website (who they are, the project, whether they have a funder in mind and the advice they need)
Also ask people to read our charter and confidentiality agreement

6. Advice from the RDS
We will allocate a coordinator to discuss your research question and the support you need to develop a competitive application
The coordinator will offer to put you in touch with others within the RDS or suggest other researchers outside the RDS with relevant skills

7. How Can We Help? Depending on what you need, we’ll work with you to:
Check fit with funder requirements/priorities
Refine the research question/objectives
Find existing evidence and ongoing research
Provide specialist/methodological advice to your proposal
Identify collaborators (academic, clinical, service, public, etc)
Signpost to other useful services (e.g. CRN Study Support Service, Clinical Trials Units, R&D Offices)
Navigate the application forms and process
Review drafts of your application
Interpret feedback from panels (whether successful or unsuccessful)

8. application evidence team impact PPI funder design
research literature, current studies, need (prevalence, mortality and morbidity, costs)
research design/methods, participants, ethics, consent, recruitment, feasibility, cost, time-scale
appropriate expertise – research, clinical, analytic, service, experiential/public, research management, commercial
remit, process, funding limits, priorities, competitiveness, criteria, deadlines, contracting requirements
potential benefits to
NHS, patients and others and how that potential will be realised
meaningful public involvement at all stages, including in developing the application itself

9. RDSEM Charter Helping us to help you:
You can expect to gain access to a professional service in a timely manner. You may approach the NIHR RDS East Midlands at any stage of development of a research proposal - from simply wanting to discuss an initial idea through to requesting input on a very specific issue in a well-developed proposal.

10. RDSEM Charter Unfortunately:
We can’t normally help with projects where there is no intention to apply to a national peer-reviewed funding scheme
Support student research
Deliver the research if the application is successful (at least, not as part of the RDS service)
We won’t write your application for you

11. RDSEM Charter It’s helpful if researchers using the RDS:
Approach us in a timely manner
Acquaint themselves with the scope and eligibility criteria of the targeted funding stream
Engage their wider research team in development discussions
Consider our advice carefully

12. Ideal timeline Planning Phase Writing Phase Submission Phase 1 2 3 4 56 7 8
9 months
SEARCH
Conduct a scoping search for evidence, need and ongoing research
IDENTIFY
Possible funder
Collaborators
DISCUSS & ENGAGE
Discuss your ideas with colleagues
Get design support from RDS, CTU
Involve patients
Form your wider team
OTHER PEOPLE AND GROUPS
Funder, CRN, NHS and university research offices, charities, patient groups, etc
REFINE
your searches DRAFT
an outline proposal
DEVELOP
your application with input from team members and others
GET FEEDBACK proof-read, edit and re-draft
Institutional deadlines
Funder
submission deadline
Begin to firm-up finances
Applications take longer than most people allow to write well

13. 10 things to keep in mind when applying for research funding

14. Things to remember … Be prepared – read funder guidance, get advice
Involve patients, the public and other end users
Assemble the right team – don’t be too parochial
Give yourself plenty of time to develop your idea, team and application
Sell, sell, sell – explain clearly why your research is innovative and has real potential to make a major difference to people’s health

15. Things to remember …
Be clear and consistent in your description of the issue, methods, objectives and measures
Make sure your research plans are realistic
Write well, present well (including Plain English)
Respond positively to reviewer/panel feedback
If at first you don’t succeed …

16. East Midlands RDS Contact Details
Leicester: Nottingham: