Rachel Illingworth
Research and Development Manager,
Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT
Tel: 0115 859 0773
Email: rachel.illingworth@broxtowehucknall-pct.nhs.uk
Summary:
Nottingham Primary Care Research Partnership (NPCRP), formed in April 2002, is a collaboration between the 4 Nottingham PCTs (Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT is host organisation) and the University of Nottingham. The NPCRP has 5 research programmes and receives £275 000 annual funding from the Department of Health. Since 2002 the NPCRP has developed NHS primary care research capacity through an innovative staffing model. 5 research fellows are employed by the host PCT on substantive contracts, based close to practice, whilst working on nationally recognised collaborative research programmes. We are not aware of another PCT nationally with a similar model.
Abstract:
The strategic objectives of the NPCRP are: to maximise the potential for undertaking externally funded primary care research in Nottingham across the disciplines; to further develop NHS/academic/social care/consumer research collaborations and to increase primary care research capacity and develop career opportunities for primary care researchers. The NPCRP’s 5 research programmes all contribute to the Department of Health’s (DH) national strategy for Research and Development (R&D). This is demonstrated as follows: all programmes meet national research priorities; all programmes undertake externally funded collaborative research and research findings have impacted on the development of health and social care locally and nationally.
Developing research capacity within the NPCRP has been championed by the Chair – Professor Mike Pringle, the 5 Programmes Leads who are local clinical academics, Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT’s Chief Executive, Director of Public Health and R&D Manager, and has been facilitated by the PCT Shared Services Human Resources Department.
One of the research fellows is leading on developing public involvement in research for the NPCRP in partnership with Making Waves, a Nottingham based service user organisation. 10 members of the public have been recruited and trained as advisors. Advisors will be involved in the 5 research programmes in a variety of ways from advising on patient recruitment leaflets through to sitting on project steering groups. A successful application to Trent R&D Support Unit for an award of £8000 means that a member of Making Waves will be funded to evaluate the process and outcome of involving the public in the research conducted within the programmes. The DH has acknowledged this is an innovative model of public involvement in research and wish to be kept informed of our work in this field.
The research fellows have a variety of backgrounds including; nursing, pharmacy and non clinical. The NPCRP has supported 2 of the fellows to undertake PhDs. One fellow is currently on secondment to the NPCRP from a partner PCT. This opportunity was developed to allow a member of staff to develop their research skills by working alongside experienced researchers. All the fellows are based in the PCT’s R&D Department. A PCT research pay scale was developed which mirrored academic research pay scales thus ensuring the NPCRP could successfully recruit and retain experienced research staff. Subsequent evaluation through Agenda for Change has maintained the fellows’ salaries. All the research fellows have honorary academic appointments with the University of Nottingham. This is an excellent example of primary care research capacity building where primary care researchers are employed by the NHS and are based close to practice with all the benefits this brings for the organisation and individuals concerned.For 04/05 the DH rated 4 of the 5 programmes of research as ‘strong’ and 1 as ‘moderate’ with none being rated as weak. In 04/05 the NPCRP was a collaborator on successful bids for external research funding to the value of £640k, the NPCRP members were also named authors on 23 peer reviewed publications and presented their research findings at 11 national and international conferences.
Research findings from studies undertaken by the NPCRP have impacted on health policy and services locally and nationally. The findings from a randomised controlled trial to assess the psychological impact of a family history screening questionnaire, provided significant background information included in the familial breast cancer NICE guidelines. A cluster randomised controlled trial of an educational package to reduce baby walker use, found that health professional advice is effective and this has been incorporated into the Nottingham parent-held record. Research into the safety features of general practice computer systems, continues to inform the work of the National Programme for IT in the NHS – Connecting for Health. Research evaluating the effectiveness of a new community based cardiac rehabilitation service in parts of inner city Nottingham, found it had measurable patient benefits and increased uptake of the service. The service has since been mainstreamed by Nottingham City PCT in partnership with Nottingham City Council.
Research undertaken within the NPCRP includes research with diverse populations. The 5 research fellows are from diverse professional backgrounds with a wide variety of research skills and experience enabling them to provide advice and support to each other.
5 road shows were held during 2004/5. The purpose being to raise the profile of the NPCRP and to provide an opportunity to discuss the future direction of the programmes with local stakeholders. 90 people from a variety of organisations attended the road shows including commissioners, managers, health and social care professionals, and researchers. In October 2005 the Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT R&D Department website went live which includes information about the NPCRP. Visit www.rdnottspct.nhs.uk Information about the NPCRP was included in Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT’s annual report. A poster was presented at the 8th Annual Conference of the UK Federation of Primary Care Research Organisations in November 2005. This was jointly with Trent R&D Support Unit and Barnsley Health and Social Care Research Alliance and demonstrated research capacity building undertaken with NHS primary care in Nottingham and Barnsley.
The development of the NPCRP in April 2002 brought together all the NHS recipients of primary care R&D funding in Nottingham into a collaboration. On 1st April 2003, 4 researchers previously employed by individual GP practices in the Nottingham area had their employment contracts TUPED into Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT. This has had positive benefits for the individuals concerned where previously they were working in relative isolation, they now have support from their research peers, the wider R&D team and the PCT. A new PCT salary scale and terms and conditions were developed for research staff. In January 2004 all the researchers agreed to accept these new conditions. They were given substantive employment contracts which is extremely unusual in the research sector, university employed researchers are generally employed on fixed term contracts. By providing access to opportunities to undertake interesting collaborative research close to practice, professional development, comparable salaries to university sector, substantive contracts and a supportive team environment the NPCRP has become known as a model employer. The NPCRP now employs 5 research fellows.
