DOI: 10.5176/2251-3833_GHC14.15
Authors: Jo Cooke and Gill Sarre
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The United Kingdom (UK) Government is committed to ensuring research is core National Health Service (NHS) business because it improves patient care and contributes to economic growth. The Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) South Yorkshire (SY), is one of nine nationally funded collaborative networks, and brings together universities and NHS organisations in South Yorkshire to undertake high-quality applied health research, support the translation of research evidence into practice, and to develop research capacity.
METHODS: The CLAHRC SY Research Capacity Development (RCD) strategy is based on an evidence-based RCD framework ensuring support is offered to individuals, teams and organisations. Flexible boundary-spanning opportunities have been provided through secondments, placements and match-funded posts to research and implementation projects. 60 individuals have been supported at Masters, Doctorate and Post-Doctoral level. A web-based questionnaire was sent out to 78 people who held boundary spanning roles in CLAHRC SY. A response rate of 38.5{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} (n=30) was achieved.
RESULTS: Most respondents reported that they had developed new skills (93{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465}) and that working with CLAHRC SY had impacted on the development of career choices (63{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465}). The experience helped to build confidence in research and development and a common understanding across clinical and academic boundaries. Practical tools have been developed to help NHS organisations build research capacity at all levels and support individuals through their career development.
CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative network crossing the boundaries of clinical and academic cultures has provided flexible innovative opportunities to support RCD in health services in the UK. This model may be of interest to others engaged in RCD within health services.
Keywords: research capacity; collaboration; boundary spanning
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