Ethnicity and health research: the Research Governance Framework and the new health research strategy C Marc Taylor Department of Health [email protected].

Ethnicity and health research:the Research Governance Framework and the new health research strategy

C Marc TaylorDepartment of Health

[email protected]

Research and Development: Knowledge for Health and Social Care

DH research governance

Department of Health Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care

• 1st edition 2001: guidance• 2nd edition 2005: a quality

standard for health care• Covers R&D in health and

social care settings• Includes studies when access

to research populations is via NHS or CSSR or agencies contracted to them


RGF for health and social care

Research Governance Framework, 2005

Proper governance of research is essential to ensure that the public can have confidence in, and benefit from, quality research in health and social care. The public has a right to expect high scientific, ethical and financial standards, transparent decision making processes, clear allocation of responsibilities and robust monitoring arrangements.

The same principles apply across health and social care research, but the way in which the relevant standards are achieved will differ according to the research type, context and method. For example, compared with much research in the NHS, research in social care differs in scale, volume and funding, as well as in the mix of stakeholders, the organisational context and the range of academic disciplines. The arrangements and mechanisms for implementing research governance in social care research are likely to have features that are

particular to social care.


Ministry of Health Act 1919

2. It shall be the duty of the Minister, in the exercise and performance of any powers and duties transferred to or conferred on him by or in pursuance of this Act, to take all such steps as may be desirable to secure the preparation, effective carrying out and co-ordination of measures conducive to the health of the people … including measures for the prevention and cure of diseases, the avoidance of fraud in connection with alleged remedies therefore, the treatment of physical and mental defects, the treatment and cure of the blind, the initiation and direction of research, the collection, preparation, publication and dissemination of information and statistics relating thereto, and the training of persons for health services.

Implementation

For R&D in the NHS• RGF published 2001• Local implementation plans 2002 to 2004• National Standards, Local Action, 2004• Research governance a health care standard from April 2005

For R&D in Social Care• Separate implementation plan

– Consultation 2003– Published 2004


Research governance and ethnicity

2.2.7 Research, and those pursuing it, should respect the diversity of human society and conditions and the multicultural nature of society.

Whenever relevant, it should take account of

age, disability, gender, sexual orientation,

race, culture and religion

in its design, undertaking, and reporting.

The body of research evidence available to

policy makers should reflect

the diversity of the population.


New health research strategy

Vision: to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research

“To create a health research system in which the NHS supports outstanding individuals, working in world-class facilities, conducting leading-edge research, focused on the needs of patients and the public.”

Strategic goals1. Establish NHS as a world-class

centre of research excellence2. Support research professionals3. Commission research4. Manage research and governance5. Use resources well


NIHR


Aims for R&D management and governance

Best Research for Best Health

A vibrant efficient research environment that commands public confidence and protects research participants, through– World-class networks for

R&D management and governance

– Action to simplify processes that use research time

Governance, advice, ethics

• Do only once in a single place, whatever does not have to be done in many places

• Maximise the joint use of standardised systems and processes

• Support local decisions with national standards, templates and datasets

• Give active support to high quality research


Expert support, joined-up systems

• Research passports• Networked expert centres, each health economy• National advice service• Unified IT systems:

– Input information once– Populate ethics and NHS R&D applications, NRR– Published papers, repository

• NIHR web site, portal to information services


www.dh.gov.uk

C Marc TaylorDepartment of Health

[email protected]


Ethnicity and health research:operational issues

Christine McGuireDepartment of Health

[email protected]


Content

Examples

• Guidelines for commissioners (Policy Research Programme)

• Supporting (potential) contractors


DH as a funder of R&D

• DH oversees a range of R&D programmes. Differences in:- Priority setting- Commissioning processes

• Staffing – Small number of core staff– In-house expertise– Little scope for hands on involvement with projects


Example 1-Commissioning guidelines

• Policy Research Programme- Covers all DH business- Range of methods- Range of policy purposes

• Difficulty in developing absolute “rules”→ guidelines or prompt list


Example 1-Commissioning guidelines

• Defining the questions• Tendering processes• Assessment of applications• Selection processes• Advice to successful applicants• Handling issues


Example 2 -Support for (potential) contractors

Context• Large number of contractors• Range of skills and experience• Aim of mainstreaming as well as specific commissioning


Example 2 -Support for (potential) contractors

Book of expert papers• Edited by James Nazroo• Covering range of methodologies• Aimed at specialist and non-specialist audience.


Example 2 -Support for (potential) contractorsCovers:• Demography• Theoretical issues• Engaging communities• Interviewer matching• Qualitative research• Surveys• Evaluation• Secondary analysis


www.dh.gov.uk

Christine McGuireDepartment of Health

[email protected]


Ethnicity and health research: the Research Governance Framework and the new health research strategy C Marc Taylor Department of Health [email protected].

Documents

quality research

research populations

direction of research

research type

health care standard

proper governance of

social care slide

social care settings