Implementation of the Quality Standards and Design and Review Principles

The Participant Information Quality Standards and Design and Review Principles were launched in September 2023 to improve information given to people who are invited to take part in research.

Since then, to allow applicants time to become familiar with the new requirements, staff and Research Ethics Committee (REC) Members have been providing feedback on areas of non-compliance as recommendations.

From Friday 1 December 2023 all applications submitted will need to comply with the new requirements.

Following feedback and engagement with researchers and sponsors, we would like to draw your attention to the following:

• The Quality Standards and Design and Review Principles apply to new application submission only, and will not be applied to amendments involving participant information in ongoing studies. 
• The Quality Standards will be used by research ethics staff during the research application validation stage to check if the participant information is compliant. Your application will not be rejected at validation if it is not compliant. Any findings will be considered by the REC as part of its ethical review. Where changes or requests for further information are required, they will be included as part of the review outcome from the REC meeting.

In 2023 we celebrated ten years since Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) were established by NHS England, to transform the way the NHS discovers, adopts and spreads evidence-based innovations to improve health outcomes.

This milestone was recognised in May 2023 with an announcement from NHS England and the government's Office for Life Sciences confirming its intention to relicense AHSNs for a further five year period, as part of a £650m investment package to boost innovation within the UK's life sciences sector.

From 1 October, Wessex AHSN becomes Health Innovation Wessex. The new name reflects our key role in supporting the development and spread of innovation across health and care services in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Dorset and south Wiltshire.

Nicola Bent, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Innovation Adoption, Health Innovation Wessex, said, "2023 has provided an opportunity to acknowledge our collective achievements over a decade of accelerating innovation into the NHS and supporting investment into the regional economy. We're delighted that our impact has been acknowledged with the issue of a further five-year licence.

"Under our new name of Health Innovation Wessex, we'll continue to build on the strong foundations established over the last decade, supporting the priorities of our local systems to transform the health and lives of our regional communities."

In the short video below, Chief Executive Bill Gillespie outlines the change and the importance of partnership in innovation adoption:

https://vimeo.com/864791690

The new licence takes effect from 1 October 2023. Our new web address from this date is http://www.healthinnovationwessex.org.uk, and you'll also notice a change to our corporate email (enquiries@hiwessex.net) and staff addresses (firstname.lastname@hiwessex.net).

Education Grants

Apply for a professional development or student grant

Whether you are established in your nursing career or just starting out, we offer a range of education and professional development grants for nurses, midwives, healthcare support workers, and those aspiring towards a career in nursing. 

https://rcnfoundation.rcn.org.uk/Grants-and-funding/Educational-grants?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxuCnBhDLARIsAB-cq1qyXhgpCfU___04b2idQwAoZiSVE9pVw-q9GA4i34JJv3FALFLii-oaAsQzEALw_wcB

Please click the link to read article

https://local.nihr.ac.uk/news/hampshire-nhs-doctor-recognised-for-her-outstanding-leadership-in-research/29156

Medical Research Council
 

Other funding stream by Medical Research Council

• Parkinson’s UK/MRC, Multiple Sclerosis Society/MRC, Fight for sight/MRC
  More information:  MRC-funded fellowships – UKRI

Dunhill Medical Trust

• Funding for post-doctoral fellows as a Principal Investigators. 2 stage application process
  More information:  Funding opportunities - The Dunhill Medical Trust

Stroke Association

• Funding aimed at post-doctoral fellowships (The James Lind Alliance) award up to £250,000 over a period of up to 3 years
  Deadline: Stage 1 (September) and Stage 2) (December)
  Email: Research@stroke.org.uk
  More information:  Stroke Association Project Grant | Stroke Association

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 

• UK’s largest funder for economic, social, behavioural and human data science research. Total grant fund up to £3,750,000
  More information:  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) – UKRI
   

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC):

• More information: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) – UKRI

Marie Curie

• Research grants for postdoctoral fellows
  More information:  Marie Curie Research Grants Scheme

Diabetes UK 

• Grants up to £500,000 for different grant projects
  Email: research@diabetes.org.uk
  More Information: Project grants | Research | Diabetes UK

Healthcare Infection Society

• Supports research related to infection prevention and control in healthcare
  More information: Funding & Awards | Healthcare Infection Society - Healthcare Infection Society (his.org.uk)

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Apply anytime

British Geriatrics Society

• Aimed at medics and healthcare professionals with limited study budgets to have access to educational opportunities.  They have conference grants, elective projects
  More information:  Grants and prizes | British Geriatrics Society (bgs.org.uk)

Burdett Trust for Nursing

• Small grants programme
  More information: Grant programmes – The Burdett Trust for Nursing (btfn.org.uk)

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Midwives

• Wellbeing of Women Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (Co-funded by) the RCM and Burdett Trust for Nursing
  More information: WoW-RCM Postdoctoral Research Fellowships - Wellbeing Of Women
   
• The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust – Midwifery Research Fellowship
  More information: Midwifery Research Fellowship | iolanthe.org

Latest NIHR Funding Calls and Other Opportunities can be found here