Trust Board Febuary 2010 - Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals

SWBGB NEW REF
SWBTB (2/10) 030 (a)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Effective research and development is essential in the NHS to improve both the “health
and wealth of the nation”. 1 In a series of landmark reports in the mid-2000s, the
Department of Health outlined its mission to: “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.” 1,2
1.2 These Government objectives have lead to radical changes in the organisation and
funding of research and development within the NHS. The creation of the National
Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has resulted in the replacement of the traditional
capitation method of funding through the Culyer stream with a more transparent system
lead by the Comprehensive Local Research Networks (CLRN) and Topic Specific
Research Networks (TSRN).
1.3 These dramatic changes have been compounded by changes in research governance
procedures with the introduction of the European Clinical Trials Directive. 3 The Directive
aims to improve the conduct and monitoring of non-commercial NHS research to the
standard of commercial clinical trials. This has increased the burden on both clinical
researchers and the governance systems of individual trust research and development
(R & D) departments.
1.4 This rapidly changing research environment presents NHS trusts with a series of
challenges. As the transitional funding from the old Culyer system is withdrawn to be
replaced by CLRN and TSRN funding, trusts face a significant financial threat. The new
funding is allocated directly for staff and other service support costs on the basis of the
number of patients recruited into clinical trials and few trusts have financial systems
which can cope with such transparent funding. Trust R & D departments will require
additional support to perform their statutory governance role in monitoring clinical trial
procedures.
1.5 With this backdrop of a rapidly changing research framework in the NHS, it is of crucial
importance that SWBH Trust reviews and adapts its R & D strategy to this changing
environment.
2. THE VISION
2.1 The vision is to improve the health of the population supported by Sandwell and West
Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.
2.2 We will achieve this by affirming the Trust as an international centre of research
excellence.
2.3 We will increase the quantity and quality of research and innovation at the Trust in cooperation
with our partner organisations including local Universities and industries.
2.4 We will continue to attract, develop and retain the best research professionals to conduct
clinically-based research within the NHS. This will include the encouragement of NHS
consultants who wish to perform clinical trials as part of the NIHR Clinical Research
Network Portfolio.
2.5 We will re-organise the financial framework for research in the Trust to allow the
transparent flow of funds to those who are performing and supporting research.
2.6 We will strengthen and streamline systems within the Research and Development
Department at the Trust which will support the more rigorous governance requirements.
Research and Development Strategy Page 3 of 10
SWBH Research and Development Strategy 2009-2011. Version 1.2. January 2010