Association of Medical Research Charities, 15 May 2013
- "Research and the rapid uptake of innovation into clinical practice brings enormous benefits to patients in better and quicker diagnosis, treatments and cures. Furthermore, research has been shown to bring considerable economic benefits for the exchequer in longer, healthier lives, greater productivity and reduced sickness benefits."
- This report addresses the question as to "whether the NHS is ready and capable of implementing these grand ideas"
- The report is published along with findings of a survey of 392 healthcare professionals' which found that "a majority of GPs believed it is very important for the NHS to support research into treatments for their patients, only 22% felt it was very important for them to be personally involved. Lack of time was a key issue for GPs, with nearly three quarters naming it as the biggest barrier to preventing them from getting involved in research."
- The report includes the suggestion that NHS England should use KPIs in research as part of the annual review process to both access and publicise to NHS staff and the public how well each CCG is supporting research and delivering benefits for patients.
- It also puts forward a Research Charter for NHS England and CCGs (p31)under which they should
- Appoint an individual at board level with responsibility for research
- Include participation in NHS research in provider contracts
- Develop a balanced scorecard of measures to assess research and the use of research evidence in delivering care and report on these quarterly at board meetings
- Take part in research prioritisation exercises – with NIHR NETSCC, local HEIs and other relevant bodies
- Consider relevant research findings and evaluations when commissioning services
- Develop structures to routinely access relevant evidence and inform the redesign of services and commissioning policy
- Routinely evaluate services and consider how quality can be improved
- Engage with NICE, Public Health Observatories, CLAHRCs, The Cochrane Library, NIHR NETSCC, local HEIs and other relevant bodies
- Promote best practice in the handling, use and sharing of data by providers when commissioning services
- Develop a process and earmark a recurring budget to ensure excess treatment costs are managed without causing delays to research.
