Celebrating nurses and midwives as they adapt to the COVID-19 crisis
International Nurses’ Day is celebrated around the world on 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. Dr Sharon Barrett, Associate Director of Nursing at the NIHR Clinical Research Network marks this day by reflecting on the way research nurses have responded to the global pandemic. Read more here
New call for research on the risk factors, transmission and prevalence of coronavirus
The NIHR and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have launched a new call for research proposals on the risk factors, transmission and prevalence of the COVID-19 virus SARS-CoV-2. The research funded will help inform policy decisions during the pandemic, including possible decisions about infection prevention strategies and relaxation of existing containment measures. Read more here
New research to assess extent of coronavirus infection in children and teenagers
New research funded by the NIHR and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will assess rates of coronavirus infection and immunity in children and teenagers across the UK, to provide vital evidence to guide the response to the pandemic. Read more here
New NIHR-funded study aims to help A&E departments better identify patients with serious cases of COVID-19
A new study funded by NIHR could help A&E departments identify which patients with coronavirus should be admitted to hospital or not. Read more here
NIHR reaffirms its support for patient and public involvement, engagement and participation during the COVID-19 pandemic
The NIHR has highlighted its continuing commitment to ensuring patients, carers and the public have a say in and help to shape health and care research during the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with its long standing commitment to patient and public involvement, engagement and participation (PIE) in health and care research. Find out more here
First volunteers receive new trial coronavirus vaccine
The first two healthy volunteers have been immunised with a new experimental coronavirus vaccine, developed with support from the NIHR. Read more here
Health Technology Assessment Programme Director’s message
In his May update, Director of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme Hywel Williams introduces his successor, and talks about how to get involved with HTA committees. Watch here
£58.7 million funding boost for research to protect the health of the nation
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has announced a £58.7 million research investment to protect the public from health threats such as antimicrobial resistance, air pollution and infectious diseases. Since 2014, NIHR’s investment into world-class health protection research has shown how routine NHS data on consumption of antimicrobials can predict the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, and how pragmatic steps by local authorities can reduce the risk of mental health problems in communities affected by flooding. These findings are used by Public Health England (PHE) to keep the public safe from current and emerging public health threats. Read more here
RDS Blogs: From the RDS desk
Each month, the Research Design Service, brings you handy tips, insights and experiences of the funding application process. The blogs touch on various themes in the design process and highlight what you need to know before you make a research application.
This month’s blog : Public involvement during a pandemic: how we are supporting researchers: Public involvement is a vital ingredient in any research funding application. However, due to lockdown many of our go-to methods for including and involving people in the design process have become redundant. So this month, our blog is a supportive guide on how to continue to do public involvement during the Covid-19 pandemic. Read it here.
Check out the previous blogs below:
April 2020: Our new normal; still your RDS
March 2020: Social care research – a heated debate
February 2020: Using natural experiments to evaluate population health interventions
January 2020: A short introduction to the ‘i4i champions’
November 2019: Sample size – what difference matters?