Barts and the London has developed a successful and responsive strategy to help our researchers secure public funding to support local research.
The R&D News Bulletin gives a monthly update on various funding opportunities that have relevance to the Trust.
Best Research for Best Health
The Department of Health published its national strategy for health research, Best Research for Best Health, in January 2006. The strategy document and associated implementation plans are available on the Department of Health website.
The Best Research for Best Health strategy’s goals include making the NHS an internationally recognised centre of excellence for research and development with stronger more streamlined governance and developing the clinical workforce. It proposes to centralise R&D funding, taking decision making power away from Trust level for it to be controlled through the establishment of a new National Institute for Health Research and a new clinical research network for England.
For current levels of R&D activity to continue, it is vital that the Trust obtains funding under the new arrangements. Four funding mechanisms (e.g. Projects, Programmes, Units and Centres) are being introduced. The Joint R&D Office tracks and oversees submissions for the various funding opportunities, to ensure that they are of a high quality and consistent with the Trust’s strategic aims.
A management framework has been established to ensure that the bidding process is undertaken using a coordinated approach with involvement from the Trust, School (Barts and the London, School of Medicine and Dentistry) and partner organisations. This involves a Steering Group composed of key senior staff from both the Trust and the School which maintains a strategic oversight of direction taken while ensuring timely communication about threats and opportunities. This is underpinned by review groups which are created where appropriate to help prepare more complex bids.
Barts and The London JRO - Help and involvement
Although researchers are responsible for submitting their applications to awarding bodies on time, the applications frequently need to be signed off by the Joint R&D Office (JRO) on behalf of the Trust or College.
The JRO will normally need a week’s notice to ensure suitable project costing and potentially other input into applications so please factor that into your preparations.
Please contact Nick Good in JRO to discuss timetabling etc:
In addition, the JRO keeps records of what has been applied for so we can monitor our successes (and failures) and so better inform future thinking. Please let Nick Good know if you have applied for a grant from the advertised programmes.
Best Research for Best Health Workshop - June 2008
In June 2008 JRO ran a workshop covering: Overview of Best Research for Best Health; the Barts and The London experience; Tips for successful applications; Grant review panel perspective; Help from JRO & RDS; and 2 case studies. Copies of the slides are available to download below:
NIHR Funding Opportunities