Support for Researchers

If you have a research idea that involves NHS staff or patients in Cornwall, your first step is to register your idea on Qideas. 

Is your study research and what type is it?  

The Health Research Authority (HRA) Decision Tool can help you decide whether your study is research as defined by the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research. 

Our Research Sponsorship Facilitator can advise and help with your initial planning and make sure that all requirements are in place before you submit your project for a governance review. In this initial stage, they can help you address the following areas.

Key stages for initial planning:

Sponsorship

All research projects require a sponsor. Sponsorship is separate from funding and relates to indemnity. The sponsor confirms the project has been adequately peer reviewed and the organisation agrees to indemnify the methodology and conduct of the study. Please see study roles and responsibilities for more information.  

Funding

Before sending applications for grants, research conducted within the Trust should be reviewed for feasibility to ensure the study is fully costed with clear agreements as to how the expenditures are to be covered.

Feasibility

A feasibility review considers the tasks and activities outlined in a clinical research protocol, which describes the patient population, recruitment, trial timeline, study procedures and involvement of human subjects.  

Approvals

You are required to get permission from national organisations and from local organisations where you are conducting your study. For example, studies involving NHS patients will need to be reviewed and approved by a Research Ethics Committee (REC) and each organisation’s R&D department need to conduct a local review and confirm capacity and capability assessment prior to the study starts.  If this includes the use of a study drug or device, the study will also require Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approval. 

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)

PPIE in research is defined as “research being carried out with or by members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them.” 

PPIE supports the development of high-quality research that is more relevant, understandable and more likely to change practice. It is also a necessary requirement for research funded by the NIHR and many other funding bodies. 

Our research staff can help support PPIE by advertising opportunities to patients and the public, identify funding and running meetings.   

R&D support, in summary we can support you to:

• Develop your idea into a research protocol. 

• Engage as necessary with other NHS Trust contacts, external collaborators and support networks. 

• Identify required resources and funding options; submit a funding bid if necessary. 

• Clarify and set-up research ‘sponsor’ arrangements. 

• Draft an application to the HRA and secure approvals. 

• Draft key research documents (e.g. participant information sheet, consent form). 

• Engage with the NHS sites where the research is due to take place to support study set up at those sites. 

Other Useful Links

• Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training: Please visit the NIHR Learn website to register for an account and book on a session. 

• Clinical Trials toolkit: Trial Planning & Design (ct-toolkit.ac.uk) 

• NIHR Research Support Service: Research Support Service | NIHR