Research
An introduction to Research with WeLReN
WeLReN is a multidisciplinary network of individuals and practices interested in primary care research. Its overall aims are to build research capacity and research activity in primary care within the North West London Strategic Health Authority. This consists of eight Primary Care Trusts: Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster.
WeLReN support researchers at all levels of their careers from Novice Researchers (those with little or no research experience), through to Experienced Researchers (author of a journal publication, based on their own original research).
Due to fundamental shifts in Department of Health policy WeLReN is changing the way research projects are generated and the criteria for research grants. The DH is now insisting that all funded projects be linked to declared national or local priorities. To this end WeLReN is setting up Special Interest Groups (SIGs) with the aim that all research applications will be developed from within these groups .
Currently SIGs have developed in child health, complementary medicine, coronary heart disease and mental health. They are also planned in dental health, diabetes, health equality, health informatics, maternity, nursing and health visiting, older people, public health and respiratory medicine. The SIGs aim to bring together individuals sharing a common interest. The group will generate new ideas for research, provide an environment to support novice researchers and collaborate with external groups seeking to undertake research.
The Department of Health is also expecting primary care research networks to generate a significant proportion of their own funding within the next two years. SIGs will be in a strong position to eventually seek and obtain funding from regional and national sources.
WeLReN has also highlighted five areas of research it is particularly interested in funding. These research programmes are in the fields of diabetes, older people, mental health, child health and capacity building.
In the past, WeLReN has funded teams of novice researchers but our experience has shown that they face a very steep learning curve in regard to designing, conducting and writing up research. It is also becoming increasingly clear the difficulty that novice researchers have in developing a proposal of the high standard now required by the Research Governance Framework. It was therefore necessary to move towards a system where all applications are led by an 'experienced' investigator, with novice researchers being active members of a team. Thus, from 2004, grant applications will attract bonus points for inclusion of at least one novice investigator among the team of principal investigators, who is clearly involved in the project in order that (s)he learns about research as the project proceeds.
The following conditions apply to research grant applications:
- The principal investigator must be working for a primary care organisation in West London (as defined by the North West London Strategic Health Authority area).
- The team must include an investigator who is an experienced researcher. This is someone with a higher academic degree (PhD) involving research in primary care, or at least one first author peer-reviewed publication based on his or her own original research in primary care, or be accredited by a relevant body as competent to undertake research in primary care.
- The principal investigator must be contactable by email.
The expected outcome for a grant is completion of the research cycle through to peer -reviewed publication. Additionally other forms of dissemination of research findings to relevant target groups in primary care, the hospital sector and the community at large are encouraged.
WeLReN has a strong focus on:
- Developmental work on services in primary care
- Projects originating in North West London and led from within that Sector.
- Recruitment and fostering of novice investigators from a wide variety of backgrounds in primary care.
WeLReN supports a broad range of research methods including: action research, controlled trials, qualitative, quantitative and systematic reviews. WeLReN also encourages consumer involvement in research.
Please note that WeLReN will not normally support the costs of laboratory tests or special diagnostic procedures, nor support the purchase of computers and software. Neither does WeLReN offer support to projects conducted as part of a Higher Education Course.
It is important to note the maximum budget allowed is £20,000. Applicants should only present those costs that are necessary for the successful completion of the project. A key criterion used by the external peer-reviewers and the assessing panel when considering is that a project represents value-for-money in relation to the importance of the problem being addressed.
Preference will be given to projects involving:
- Investigators from at least three different primary care provider units
- At least one novice researcher as an active member of the research team
- Consumer/lay involvement in the research
- One of WeLReN's research programmes - diabetes, older people, mental health or child health.
All investigators must be WeLReN members- membership is free - but it ensures we have your address and other contact details. For more on membership see About or contact our administrator on Weladm@imperial.ac.uk (020 7594 3388).
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Research - The application process
How the research question is chosen
Ideas for research questions are generated in a number of ways.
- Primary Care Trusts may put forward the general theme of areas which they would like to see researched - "diabetes, mental health...etc"
- Via our Special Interest Groups. WeLReN has set up a number of SIGs looking at national and local priorities (see SIGs)
- Or from the individual members of WeLReN.
Members interested in applying for a WeLReN research grant should contact the Research Facilitator at WeLReN ( welfac@imperial.ac.uk ) to discuss their research idea. The facilitator will ask them to submit a brief abstract and put them in touch with the appropriate Special Interest Group.
Those with research ideas are also invited to submit an abstract for running a workshop at the WeLReN Conference in June of each year. The conference organising team will contact the successful applicants in early May.
Imperial College also offers senior medical students undertaking their BSc projects the opportunity of working on WeLReN projects. This is potentially a way in which investigators can get significant assistance in conducting their research.
All investigators are invited to attend a module of training in Methods for Research and Evaluation held at the Charing Cross campus of Imperial College on Thursdays during the Autumn Term (from October). See training/Research Methods .
Submitting an Application
Applications need to be submitted by mid October each year. Proposals must be submitted on the appropriate form (for further details please email the Research Facilitator on welfac@imperial.co.uk ). Applications must be accompanied by names and contact details of two relevant referees.
Once received, each application is scrutinised by the Research Facilitator to check that it meets the WeLReN criteria and is complete (including CVs and signatures). Applications will then be sent to at least two external peer reviewers, one selected from the referees supplied by the applicant and one identified separately by WeLReN. Applicants will receive a brief report of the peer reviewers' comments and be given the opportunity to respond to them if they wish.
The Research Reference Group (RRG) will consider the final reports and scores from this process in late November. Recommendations from the RRG will be submitted to the Steering Group for final approval at its meeting in mid December. If support is granted, the approved budget will be available in February. Please note that the budget is held by Imperial College and that WeLReN pays retrospectively by invoice submitted by the researcher. See invoice proforma
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Research - Assessment Criteria
In assessing applications the peer review process will take into account:
Scientific quality - for example is there:
(a) a clear question which can be addressed by research?
(b) a sound project design including a clear protocol with appropriate methods for sampling, measurement and analysis?
(c) a feasible implementation plan consistent with the skills, resources and time available?
(d) a well thought through project
Relevance, Impact and Importance to the NHS - for example:
(a) the current status including financial costs of the condition/disease or subject under investigation
(b) the presence of existing evidence of effective practice in the area under consideration
(c) benefits likely to result from the R&D work
Relationship to other Work
(a) consideration of the originality of the work
(b) the timeliness or urgency of the work
(c) other work being carried out, or which is under consideration.
Track record of the applicants
a) Do the team have the full range of skills and expertise to conduct the research successfully? Or will they be able to gain them through providing a budget for training?
Value for money
a) Has the budget been carefully costed?
b) Are the costs and timing realistic?
Ethics - only research that is ethical and which obtains any necessary R&D ethics committee approval will be supported.
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Research - WeLReN Mini-grants
WeLReN has set aside £2,000 to fund a programme of 'Research Mini-grants', each of a maximum of £500. Applications to this fund will be considered on a rolling basis and will be limited to persons who are 'novice' or 'developing' investigators. That is, they would be working in primary care in the North West London NHS sector and the research project for which they sought assistance was being undertaken in primary care in that sector.
'Research' will be distinguished from 'audit' using the DH definition. Research is characterised by:
(i) a novel question or hypothesis;
(ii) an intention to publish the findings of the enquiry;
(iii) the design and conduct of the enquiry being of a kind that would allow the results to have wider applicability than just the setting in which they were generated.
Additional eligibility criteria include:
(i) Availability of a written protocol guiding the enquiry, which implies that a review of the relevant literature has already been conducted;
(ii) A proposed budget indicating the specific purpose for which the funds would be used if the application was successful.
The following criteria define ineligibility:
(i) Assistance sought to develop a written protocol, such as financial support for a review of the relevant literature;
(ii) Support sought to attend a conference or a course;
(iii) Support requested to meet (part of) the costs of meetings of (potential) co-investigators in a collaborative study;
(iv) The project concerned forms part of the requirements of a qualification at a Higher Education Institution;
(v) The project has been commissioned by a PCT or some other body in the public or private sector;
(vi) The project has already been the subject of a successful application for a mini-grant.
Once received, applications for mini-grants are assessed by the Chair of the WeLReN Research Reference Group and by at least one other member of that Group.
To apply for a mini grant email your protocol and proposed budget to the Research Facilitator ( welfac@imperial.ac.uk ).
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Research - Recruiting patients for partnership projects
Partnership projects are externally funded and managed but WeLReN collaborates with the group in some way. WeLReN may be involved in the recruitment of practices or named in the proposal. These might be large-scale Randomised Controlled Trials.
Two examples of past involvement are:
The ASCOT study
The Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial recruited 9,000 patients aged 40-79 years being treated for high blood pressure, across the UK and Ireland and is following them for five years (1999-2004). The Central and West London cohort was based at St Mary's Hospital and recruited 872 patients. A total of 171 practices were targeted, of which 105 were registered with WeLReN. As reported by the ASCOT team '.this was achieved by targeting GP practices in West London . The co-operation of these local GPs was splendid. The mechanism of recruitment was greatly helped by the hard work and skills of several WeLReN facilitators'.
The ASH Project
The antenatal screening for haemoglobinopathies (ASH) Project was funded by the DH. It was a joint bid from the Brent Sickle Cell & Thalassaemia Centre, Central Middlesex Hospital , Brent and Harrow Health Authority and WeLReN. This study used a whole system participatory action research approach, interviewing GPs (on current practice) and patients, with information being reviewed by a group of representatives from all the stakeholders. WeLReN was involved in the project management, interviewing for a Nurse Facilitator and providing training support. The project finished in 2000 and the results were published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP).
WeLReN can assist with the recruitment of patients to externally funded studies by including details of the study in the WeLReN quarterly Bulletin. This goes out to over 1200 WeLReN members. Those practices or individuals willing to be involved in the projects are requested to obtain further information by contacting WeLReN or the project team.
Before details of any project are included in the Bulletin, the Principal Investigator (PI) is requested to send a copy of the proposal or protocol to the Research Facilitator ( welfac@imperial.ac.uk ). Only projects that fall within the NHS Research Governance Framework can be supported. A copy of the ethical approval letter is also required and a copy of the sponsor's letter.
The PI is then requested to submit a short article for publication, subject to editorial adjustment. For guidance those wishing to recruit practices are reminded that: GPs are inundated with these requests, they therefore need to feel that they will gain from the experience of being involved and that recruitment of patients will be integrated into normal patient care.
If, after advertising in the Bulletin, further assistance with recruitment is required, WeLReN may be able to help by sending out a targeted mail shot or flyers to members or selected professional groups, using our membership database. In these cases, a payment to cover the cost of the administration and postage will be requested.
The ASCOT project was particularly successful at recruiting practices as they funded Nurse Facilitators to contact practices directly and to explain what the study was about. This was funded by ASCOT . If you would like to know more details of this method contact WeLReN on welfac@imperial.ac.uk .
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Research - Project Management of WeLReN funded projects
Project Management is an important part of any project. Principal Investigators (PIs) of WeLReN funded projects are required to report progress to the Research Facilitator on a quarterly basis. This information is reported to the Research Reference Group, which then feeds into the Steering Group. The Facilitator will email a copy of the Quarterly Report Form to the PI two weeks before the completed form is required, usually February, May, August and October. Information about projects will be included on the National Research Register, which is made publicly available on the Internet. See Links, National Research Register.
Research teams are also expected to present their work at the annual WeLReN Conference in June.
Peer Review
Peer Review of projects is an important part of the research governance process. It ensures that projects are of a high academic standard and valuable feedback can be gained or advice given on aspects of the project. All projects supported by WeLReN must be presented at a peer-review meeting during the data collection or analysis phase - prior to the project being written-up for publication.
Peer Review of WeLReN projects takes place in the Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine at Charing Cross Campus, Imperial College . These lunchtime seminar meetings are open to Imperial College staff, students, and WeLReN members. For details, please contact the WeLReN office.
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Research - Support and Guidance for Investigators
Role of the Principal Investigator
The principal investigator is responsible for leading the research and ensuring the completion of the project.
Responsibilities are:
- Reporting to the Project Facilitator every quarter on project progress.
- Ensuring scientific standards are met.
- Ensuring that ethical guidelines are not breached.
- Ensuring that staff working on the project are not put in danger.
- Ensuring that the project runs to deadlines and budgets.
What you can expect from the Research Support Team (RST)
We are here to provide as much assistance as we can to support the research process, but we cannot provide additional research manpower.
Research methods training
Training in research methods is provided for WeLReN researchers through the Imperial College , Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine. The module "Methods of Research and Evaluation" is available each autumn in October. Additional training is offered in the form of workshops and master classes as the need arises. For further information, please see Training .
Academic Mentoring
WeLReN works closely with the Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine at Imperial College to provide mentors for projects. The mentors are experienced investigators who can help with specific issues.
Common areas of difficulty include: refining the research question; preparing applications to ethics committees; choosing your population and sample; preparing questionnaires or surveys; coding of data; interpretation of statistical analyses; presentation of results; and preparation of articles for publication.
Other support
How to submit an invoice
Invoices for all projects must have the following information on:
- Project code (this will be allocated by Imperial College )
- Name and address of invoicer
- Bank details
- National Insurance number
- Date of birth
- An invoice number (numbering system of your choice)
Attached should be relevant receipts.
Invoice proforma provides a sample invoice. These should be submitted to the WeLReN Secretary at Imperial College .
If the amount of money paid to one person in one year exceeds £2000 then Imperial College requires a contract to be set up between the college and the researcher.
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Research - Application Guidelines
Applications must be submitted in typescript (no less than 10-point font) on the project grant application form, keeping within the margins indicated. Abbreviations or obscure terms, if used, should be fully explained.
Part A Title of Project
The title of the project should not exceed 80 characters including spaces.
Part B Details of Applicants
The Principal Investigator should be the lead researcher on the project who will be responsible for the conduct and progress of the work. The full correspondence address for the Principal Investigator must be included as well as the primary care job title. Please note that the principal investigator must be a primary care professional. All co-investigators must be included on the form and sign Part F.
Part C Details of Project
There should be a structured synopsis giving a short summary of the project including objectives, sample, method of inquiry, main outcome measures and the value of the proposed research to WeLReN. This must not exceed 200 words (please include a word count).
The significance of the research (in a maximum of 100 words) should explain the rationale for the project and its potential for primary care. The design method should be indicated under item (6). Note that WeLReN supports a wide range of methods including randomised controlled trials, quantitative and qualitative projects and systematic reviews. If your method is not included in the list, please write in details under 'other'.
The description of the research, including the background, should be a maximum of four A4 pages and include a structured description of your proposed project, giving enough information on the background, study design and methods, and analysis for an external referee to be able to assess your proposal.
The following headings are provided as a guide:
Aims and objectives
These are to include the main hypothesis or research question.
Background
This should give details of the size and nature of the problem to be addressed; a brief literature review or reference to previous work including search strategy and the databases used; and the skills and experience of the applicants which make them well placed to carry out the work.
Study Population (Sample)
This is to include the following: justification of sample size, selection and exclusion criteria of sample and sampling procedure.
Methods
This is to include the following: methods of data collection such as questionnaires and outcome measures.
Statistical Considerations
This is to include the following: sample size calculations and method of analysis.
Ethical Considerations
This is to include the following: relevant ethical issues and how they will be accommodated.
References
Please use Vancouver style and limit the list to ONE page.
Location
Please list the PCT(s) where the study will take place.
Time Line
Please include all major stages, including any preliminary phases required for the project, and the time required for each stage. Allow adequate time for writing up.
Dissemination
Please state your plans for disseminating your findings including the names of peer-reviewed journals. Please note it will be expected that the team present their work at the annual WeLReN conference (June) and at one of the Peer Review meetings (held every Wednesday lunchtime during term time at Charing Cross Campus). Applications should include costs of dissemination: i.e. attendance at conferences to present work, and/or show posters.
Research Programme
Please indicate whether this project addresses any of WeLReN's research programmes.
Part D Ethical Approval
All projects that involve NHS patients, professionals and premises will need to seek ethical approval. This section asks various questions about whether ethical approval has already been obtained.
Part E Budget
Please give details and full justification of the financial support requested by outlining the role to be played by all funded staff and intended use of all major equipment and consumable items. An outline of miscellaneous costs should also be given. Please note WeLReN only funds up to a maximum of £20,000. If you have funding from elsewhere please give details. WeLReN will not normally support the costs of laboratory tests or special diagnostic procedures, nor the purchase of computers and software.
Part F Signatures
All investigators should sign the application form. Approval should also be sought from the Principal Investigator's manager/department head and the head of their organisation.
Under the Framework for Research Governance PCTs need to be aware of, and to have approved, all research projects taking place in their area or by NHS staff working in their area.
Part G Assessors
Please include the name and details of two experts in the relevant field(s) who would be suitable to act as assessors of your proposal. Please do not contact these assessors yourself.
Part H Curriculum Vitae
Please attach a short CV (maximum two pages) for each investigator using the headings on the application form, giving details of research experience.
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