Chapter 3 – Policy Implications for Gaelic - University of Edinburgh

TUPE Transfer of the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research
(SCPHRP) Unit from the MRC to the College of Medicine and Veterinary
Medicine, University of Edinburgh.
Summary
SCPHRP currently resides within the Human Genetics Unit Building (HGU) building which recently
transferred from the MRC to the University. SCPHRP a small unit and relies on the administrative
support from the MRC Scottish Regional Support Team which is expected to close within the next 18
months. The development of the new Systems Medicine Building for HGU requires SCPHRP to
relocate. To ensure that SCPHRP continues to operate MRC has requested that 6 MRC staff TUPE
transfer to the University. Post transfer MRC/CSO will provide a centre grant to SCPHRP-University of
Edinburgh or meet the full cost of redundancies.
The legal arrangements follow the same principles establish for the HGU but the legal detail is more
simplistic as no assets, IP etc. will transfer. The agreements are being finalised, the preferred
transfer date is 1 st August 2012.
Subject to the approval of the legal agreements by the University Secretary the University Court is
requested to endorse the transfer of SCPHRP from the MRC to the University.
Background
SCPHRP is a public health consortium with members drawn from research, policy and practice. It has
been tasked with creating strategies to tackle Scotland’s poor health record.
The Collaboration aims to strengthen the evidence base for improving health. Working with
researchers and the people using the research to shape policy, the Collaboration seeks to identify
opportunities to develop public health interventions that could lead to new policy and programmes
to address major health problems.
Its primary objectives are to:
•Identify key areas of opportunity for developing novel public health interventions that equitably
address major health problems in Scotland, and move those forward.
•Foster collaboration between the Scottish Government, researchers and the public health
community to develop a national programme of intervention development, large-scale
implementation and robust evaluation.
•Build capacity within the public health community for collaborative research of the highest quality,
with maximum impact on Scottish policies, programmes and practice.
SCPHRP has received all its administrative (especially finance, human resources, communications)
and IT support from the MRC Scottish Regional Support Team based in the HGU building, which is
now expected to carry on operations for only a brief period, as Scottish MRC Units continue to
transfer to various universities. After examining various options, the Director has recently decided to
1