Notes from
Research Development TAG AWAY DAY Meeting
10th September 2012
PRESENTChair – Prof Mike Lucock / Dr Phalaksh Walishetty
Dr Nisreen Booya / Lesley Dale
Julie Hickling / Dr Keith Sands
Rebecca Spencer / Dr Prabhat Mahapatra
Dr Abdullah Kraam / Sarah Hudson
Romana Farooq / Gillian Marley
Ismail Patel / Elizabeth Broadbent
Wendy Baird (RDS Service)
Helen Carter (notes) / Alex Clarkson (presentation from WYCLRN)
APOLOGIES
Dr F Uzair
Prof Nigel Beail / Emma Polhill
Dr Ivor Hodgson / Dr M Adamou
Simon Plummer / Prof Nigel Beail
Annie Topping / Dr Van Mechelen
Phil Walters / Simon Plummer
Dr C Suresh
Dr Jeremy Halstead
1.& 2. Introductions and Apologies
As above. The Agenda was agreed and some items were linked together as part of presentation from Rebecca Spencer, Research Manager.
3. R&D Strategy
Dr Booya asked if this was on the internet as would be useful to other organisations as well as staff and patients/service users and carers. Mike Lucock went through the strategic objectives on the policy and as these had been signed off fairly recently it was agreed that the objectives still stand with no need for any amendments.
Wendy Baird from the Research Design Service spoke about the Academic Health Service Network. Discussions are underway on how all organisations will work together across Yorkshire and the Humber, including the Comprehensive Local Research Networks (CLRNs). Once the structure and function of the network is clearer we can consider how it fits with our strategy in the future.
ML commented that since the Research Department had been brought ‘in house’ to the Trust it feels like there has been an improvement in research culture and more focus to our research activity. We continue to build on our strengths whilst still trying to link research studies to service needs and priorities and to where we can realistically expect to receive funding. We are also trying to engage more staff into research as Principal Investigators. The Trust is so much larger now Barnsley has joined so physical health as well as mental health and LD studies can now be considered. NB said there is a lot of support at Board level and RS and AK will be making links with clinicians in a planned and organised way so that people who are genuinely interested in being involved in a study know they have the support of the Research Department at all stages. A Research Involvement Questionnaire has been sent to clinicians in the past which has been a good indicator to gauge the level of interest and how clinicians would like to be involved. This is still available on the intranet and from the Research Department.
NB commented that there could be opportunities for research on the use of technology in care and if this could be geared through Research Department to answer questions on evaluating the technology etc.
RS discussed issues around capacity when it came to supporting portfolio studies. National network funding is awarded annually so clinical studies officers are on one year contracts, leading to high staff turnover. Romana Farooq suggested developing opportunities for career progression so that CSOs can progress to a Senior CSO role or Research Management. A senior CSO/ Research Nurse post will soon be advertised.
Action: To check Strategy is on internet and ask Comms to put the updated version on amend factual updates.
4. Review of Terms of Reference and Membership
There are a few factual updates to the Terms of Reference such as the internal and external linkages, frequency of the TAG and current members. An updated membership list had been circulated and NB was happy that all areas were covered. Romana Farooq commented that it would be useful to have a Clinical Studies Officer (CSO) representative on the TAG so that queries could be answered around the Portfolio studies they are working on and also to feed back any relevant issues discussed at the TAG to other CSOs. Romana asked the group to consider this within their membership.
Action: Update Terms of Reference and Membership section
5. Links With Key Partners
Wendy Baird from the Research Design Service (RDS) was present and ML said that in the past he has found their service very helpful and had been given good advice around research proposals and how best to try and achieve funding. He mentioned that there had recently been more of a delay in setting up meetings with the RDS. Wendy said that she will look in to this but that some systems had been changed recently which should improve things.
Alexandra Clarkson from the West Yorkshire Comprehensive Local Research Network (WYCLRN) attended to give a presentation on how her role as a Research Facilitator can have an impact and help with the approval process pathway by working closely with the Research Department and key services such as pharmacy, radiology and pathology to get Portfolio (NIHR funded studies) approved within timescale guidelines. Alexandra can also advise at the early stages of grant applications, completing required paperwork and supporting researchers through the approval process. Alexandra is keen to make links with the key services and any meetings she attends would also be attended by Rebecca Spencer.
Action: RS and AC to explore support that can be provided for pharmacy, radiology and pathology across different Trust localities
6/7. Governance and Approvals Processes / Performance Management
Reporting System
Rebecca provided a PowerPoint presentation on the governance and approvals processes. She explained the differences between Portfolio and Non-Portfolio studies and the various reviews a study goes through - including peer review, service user and carer review, governance review and ethical review - to make sure studies are acceptable and feasible and can be supported by the Trust e.g., resources and facilities available and researchers responsibilities.
Rebecca advised that there are national targets for Portfolio recruitment and this Trust is performing well to meet these.
If anyone would like a copy of the presentation for future reference please contact the Research Department.
Action: publish the presentation in the Trust intranet
8. Review of Performance and Achievements over the Past Year
Rebecca showed various charts on the Trust’s recruitment figures to NIHR portfolio studies and they showed a big improvement since leaving the Consortium/Partnership in 2011. 88% of portfolio studies that have completed recruitment had met or exceeded their targets and there was a large increase in the number of portfolio studies approved to take place in the Trust. It was also very good to see that the number of staff members involved in research has increased dramatically in the last year. It shows success in one of our key strategic aims, to increase involvement of practitioners in research.
The Research Activity and Performance Summary Report (up to end August ’12) was looked at in detail. It maps each study’s current performance and whether they are meeting targets and showed all open Portfolio studies are meeting or exceeding their targets. It was agreed that the TAG members found the report useful in its current format and it will be available on the intranet.
Action: HC to sort out minor inaccuracies noted with the Research Studies Report
9. Policy Updates
Rebecca is in the process of updating five policies, taking in to account that Barnsley now needs to be included and working within the research support service framework. NB will read and sign off once updated.
10. Future Planning
The Research Department has come a long way in the last 18 months since separating from the previous Consortium/Partnership. This is evidenced by the performance figures, improvements in recruitment and in the number of studies being supported. It is hoped that the positive work will continue and be built on but this will be underpinned with realistic targets. AK noted that most studies were observational but there may be scope to consider more industry/interventional type studies in the future. RS felt it was important to develop a number of industry studies to ensure the department has another source of revenue and to support the national agenda.
11. Service User/Patient and Carer Involvement
Lesley Dale is the service user/carer representative on the TAG. Direct Impact and the Approvals Panel have now come to an end with the decision to form a new group from around October. The decision was made for various reasons including: changes to the remuneration structure for service user/patient and carers; the need to ensure representation across the Trust including Barnsley; the greater scope of services now provided by the Trust, including physical health services; the decision to combined functions of the previous two groups into one.
Lesley commented that both groups recognised the need for change but felt the situation of dissolving the two existing groups and setting up the new one could have been done better. NB stated that patient/service user and carer involvement in research is key and an essential requirement so researchers can get views from their potential participant’s perspective. She also said that the Trust valued and appreciated the previous work of Direct Impact and the Approvals Panel. Many researchers at varying stages of their study have commented that they have found the advice from Direct Impact and the Approvals Panel invaluable.
The members of Direct Impact have been invited to a Workshop in September to be consulted on the new group and they will have the opportunity to register their interest in being members of the new group. The Workshop is also recognition and celebration of past achievements and it is hoped that all previous members will be able to attend.
12. Any Other Business
The next TAG will be around January time.
Helen Carter
Research Administrator
01977 605285
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