Funding for the Research Design Service in our Department of Health has been confirmed for another five years, as part of the National Institute of Health Research South West Group.
The service, one of several units around the South West of England, is available to help academic staff within the University access funding from the NHS for their research projects.
“Although we’re based in the Department of Health, I’m here to help people across departments who are looking to research and access funding from the NHS,” said Research Hub Manager Lisa Austin.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service for the South West (RDS-SW) has secured in excess of £5 million for the regional service which will enable the RDS-SW to continue through to September 2018. The RDS-SW is one of 10 regional services making up the national RDS. The University’s unit is unusual in that it is the only service within an academic, rather than hospital, setting.
Professor Paul Ewings, Director of NIHR RDS-SW, said: “I’m delighted we can continue to provide our much-valued service. Our core role is advising on research design and methodology, but we can also help with other issues such as public and patient involvement. We have staff across the south west, so anyone wanting help preparing a grant application should get in touch.”
Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health, said: “The NIHR is transforming research in the NHS to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. It is very important that researchers applying for NIHR funding can access the services provided by the RDS so that they can submit their best applications to the NIHR and others for funding.”
The RDS-SW, including the University, supports researchers to develop research proposals for submission to the NIHR and other national, peer-reviewed funding competitions for applied health or social care research. RDS-SW staff can advise on all aspects of preparing grant applications and the University contact is Lisa Austin who is available on 6575 or by emailing l.austin@bath.ac.uk