Leeds Institute of Health Sciences


Applied Health Co-operative (AHC) between the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust

Background

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust needs to build capacity in health services research in order to bid for more high quality external funding for applied health research from funders such as major medical charities, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and Service Delivery Organisation and Health Technology Assessment funds. NIHR programme directors have emphasised that the primary reason for proposals being refused is the lack of high quality methodological input. Leeds Institute of Helth Sciences (LIHS) has the experience and infrastructure to support the provision of such input and so the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust has provided some capacity and infrastructure funding to support key staff appointments within Leeds Institute of Health Sciences.

Aim & Objectives

The aim of this initiative is to increase the volume of good quality and successful applied health research applications in key research areas, in line with Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and University of Leeds research strategies.

The group will work closely with other parts of the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (including the University of Leeds’s Clinical Trials Research Unit and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust’s Biomedical Health Research Centre) providing methodological, statistical, data and financial input. Over the duration of this agreement the Applied Health Cooperative will endeavour to prepare and submit research grant applications for project and programme grants, develop a co-ordinated approach between LIHS and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust clinicians, which will also accrue financial benefits for the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, and allow them to be part of a research team delivering on at least some of the successful research applications submitted.

Methods

Work will be undertaken by:

  1. Conducting scoping discussions with Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust researchers in priority areas to help them identify and develop health service research questions based on their existing research activities.
  2. Exploiting existing data; to conduct systematic reviews to help plan research strategy using value of information analyses; to improve Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust data collection and data integration for clinical audit and clinical appraisal, and develop case-mix modelling.
  3. Supporting the Academic Information Manager and addressing the general need for data management.
  4. Contributing expertise in the theoretical underpinnings of complex social and psychological constructs, particularly in relation to characterising user perspectives. To also contribute theoretical but practical expertise in conducting qualitative research as part of a mixed quantitative and qualitative portfolio, e.g. as part of the Medical Research Council’s approach to evaluating complex interventions, or as part of an approach to understanding organisational behaviour.

Impact

Increasing the benefit to patients in an applied healthcare setting as outlined by the Department of Health in a letter to all Trusts in 2009 and current government recommendations.

Partners & Collaborators

Leeds Teaching Hospitals
University of Leeds

Funding Agency: Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust

Grant Value: £ 1,000,000

Project Period: 1st October 2008 to 31st October 2012.

For further information contact Carolyn Murray