Tagged / Health

UK and Chinese experts work for the health benefits of patients

Business Engagement, conferences

International experts in the economics of health care have gathered to explore the cost-effectiveness of using screening and diagnostics tools for the benefit of patients in the UK and China.

A masterclass was held at Zhejiang University on the 23rd and 24th March 2021, which explored the key economic arguments surrounding the implementation of diagnostic tools and screening programmes with practical examples of screening for lung cancer illustrating the talks. Presentations were given by Gill Caldicott, Area Director of British Council East China (inset) and leading experts in diagnostic and screening evaluation methodologies. The sessions were chaired by the UK-CHEP Partnership Leads, Professors Hengjin Dong (Zhejiang University) and Chris Bojke (University of Leeds).

UK-CHEP supports participating universities so they can work together to create significant impact for both the British and Chinese people and economy by engaging in long-term projects and knowledge collaborations that generate new expertise in health economics and health policy

UK-CHEP Is designed to:

  • Help build mutual understanding and deepen and broaden collaboration between participating universities by sharing research and educational opportunities that help deliver the goals of China’s “Double First Class” programme.
  • Promote international collaboration between world-class academics in China and the UK uninterrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Darrin Baines, Bournemouth University, said: “This masterclass demonstrates the ongoing commitment of our partners in China and the UK to work in partnership to help secure significant health and economic impact by improving patient quality of life through better and faster access to cost-effective medicines and promoting world-class research and education in keeping with China’s ‘Double First Class’ programme.”

Professor Chris Bojke (University of Leeds), Professor in Economic Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment Methods, said: “I am delighted that in conjunction with our partner university we have been able to come together in these challenging times to deliver a masterclass on the health economics of diagnostic testing and screening at Zhejiang University and online. I am confident that this partnership between universities, will mark the start of lasting research and teaching collaborations.”  Professor Bojke also acknowledged and thanked GSK for their contributions to the partnership.

Professor Hengjin Dong (Zhejiang University, pictured below), Professor in Health Policy and Health Economics said: “Zhejiang University and Leeds University, alongside Bournemouth University, have overcome the Covid-19 pandemic to work together to deliver this on-line and off-line masterclass programme focusing on the health economics of diagnostic tests and screening. This is a great trial.

“This cooperative work and programme will further strengthen the collaboration between UK and Chinese universities in the areas of health and health economics, especially in the areas of exchanging ideas and experience in the studies of health technology assessment and their application on the health policies. I believe this work will also contribute to the overall collaboration in the areas of health and economic development between our universities.”

The UK-China Health and Economy Partnership (UK-CHEP) promotes long-term collaboration in health economics and Health Technology Assessment for the mutual benefit of leading academic institutions in the UK and China, which has been funded by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and is overseen by the British Council.

This partnership promotes long-term collaboration in health economics and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) between four UK universities, Bournemouth University, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield, University of York, and three Chinese universities, Zhejiang University, Fudan University and Shandong University.

This partnership, led by Bournemouth University, was originally launched in Jinan, Shandong province in November 2017 by GSK.

Free online course – Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research

NHS, Research Ethics, Training

Interested in clinical research and what’s involved? Are you contemplating a career in healthcare or the life sciences, or, do you want to find out more about the role of clinical research in improving healthcare?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions, then why not sign up to FutureLearn’s Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research course?

The course has been developed by the University of Leeds and is be available from Monday 24th May, via this link.

It is completely free and all online, lasting 4 weeks.

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. By completing the course you will have achieved 16 hours of CPD time.

Remember – support is on offer at BU if you are thinking of introducing your research ideas into the NHS – email the Research Ethics mailbox, and take a look at the Clinical Governance website.

NIHR welcomes new vision for the Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery

NHS, Research Ethics

The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and partner organisations across the health research ecosystem have welcomed the publication of a bold and ambitious vision for the future of clinical research delivery in the UK.

This UK-wide vision sets out the ambition to create a patient-centred, pro-innovation and data-enabled clinical research environment, which empowers everyone across the health service to participate in delivering research and enables people across the country to take part in research that is of relevance to them.

The vision has been developed through the cross-sector Recovery, Resilience and Growth programme, with NIHR working alongside the NHS, regulators, medical research charities, life sciences industry, the UK government and devolved administrations.

You can read more here.

BU Gypsy, Roma, Traveller expert invited to contribute to a Governmental cross-departmental forum.

Fusion

The gap in health service provision for Gypsy, Roma, and Travellers communities is well documented in Dr Vanessa Heaslips’ extensive research. Vanessa, an Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing Science was invited to present her work ‘“Inequalities in health of Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Communities” to sixteen staff from departments including Dept of Education, Office for National Statistics, Minister of Housing and Communities, Department of Health, Department for Social care, Cabinet office and Dept for Work and Pension.

The presentation titled started with an introduction to ‘Alice, my husbands’ nan’. Alice was a Romany Gypsy and a member of the Showman community. It was being with Alice at the end of her life and witnessing the interactions between healthcare staff and herself which inspired the research. The presentation went on to explore on-going challenges such as poorer health outcomes, social exclusion, discrimination, and lack of cultural sensitivity that many Gypsy, Roma, Travellers face. As well as current problems posed by a lack of robust data collection as healthcare organisations do not use include Gypsy, Romany and Traveller as part of their ethnicity data collected. Dr Heaslip argues argued that failure to do so negatively impacts on developing robust public health initiatives to address these poorer health outcomes and is a key factor in understanding why so little progress have been made over the past two decades.

 

A wide ranging discussion regarding engaging with individuals in these communities ensured, and the session concluded with some thoughts as to how to move this significant national agenda forward. More information on this research is available from https://staffprofiles.bournemouth.ac.uk/display/vheaslip#publications  and follow Vanessa on Twitter @HeaslipVanessa, @Nursing_BU, and @N4LTH

Congratulations to PhD student Raksha Thapa

international, PG research, Publishing, Student Engagement, Women's Academic Network, writing

This week BU PhD student Raksha Thapa  heard from the editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health that her  manuscript “Caste Exclusion and Health Discrimination in South Asia: A Systematic Review” has been accepted for publication [1].  Raksha is supervised in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences by Dr. Pramod Regmi, Dr. Vanessa Heaslip and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.  The paper is a systematic review and the protocol for it was published in PROSPERO early on at the start of her PhD studies [2].

Well done!

 

References

  1. Thapa, R., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Heaslip, V. (2021) Caste Exclusion and Health Discrimination in South Asia: A Systematic Review, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health (accepted).
  2. Thapa, R., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Heaslip, V. (2018) Caste exclusion and health discrimination. Prospero CRD42018110431crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42018110431

ATRS Scheme Update: Health & Science Communication

It’s only been a few months since I published my first research blog post introducing myself and my research project to all of you at Bournemouth University. And while I still haven’t met any of you in person (thanks, COVID!), the last seven months have been jam-packed with activities, collaborations, grant proposals, research talks, escape rooms, and other general shenanigans.

logo - science, health, and data communications research groupI joined colleagues in FMC in launching the Science, Health, and Data Communications Research Group, a growing centre of cross-faculty BU researchers creating and researching public communications and education on pivotal topics such as climate change, dementia, mental health, COVID, sustainability, ecology, and more. We are hosting our first public research talk series this semester, with excellent turnout and talks from prominent science and communications researchers from around the world.

I also led a university-wide “mini-Crucible“, designed to foster new collaborations across faculty leading to innovative interdisciplinary research projects (and, of course, funding applications). Not only was this event a trial of a virtual version of Nesta’s “Crucible-in-a-Box” program, but it was also rather successful, as it has led to a forthcoming AHRC Research Grant proposal for a Sustainable Storytelling Lab. The SSL will be exploring popular narrative across a variety of media and genres to educate, counter disinformation, and prompt positive behaviour change toward the UN-Sustainable Development Goals.

Related to this, I am currently leading an Expression of Interest for the SIA Game-Changing Concepts call, proposing to place Sustainable Storytelling for Health and Science as a key endeavour for BU moving forward.

I’m also excited to have Using Interactive Digital Narrative for Health and Science Communication publishing next month; this is a jointly-authored monograph using two of my projects (You & CO2 and Infectious Storytelling) as case studies for demonstrating how IDNs can be effectively used to change attitudes and behaviours on science and health topics.

As any researcher always does, I have a ton of projects on the go, including a games for mental health project PI’d by Charlie Hargood, and a social media for NHS careworker project PI’d by Mona Esfahani. Many great things are on the horizon for Science and Health Communication at Bournemouth University, and I can’t wait to see what more evolves!

If you’re interested in collaborating, including the Sustainable Storytelling Lab, the SIA Game-Changing Concept EoI, my Playable Comms work, or something of your own, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at lskains@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Happy New Year 2078 (in Nepal)

international

Bournemouth University wishes all its Nepali students, staff and collaborators in both the UK and in Nepal a Healthy and Happy New Year 2078 today.

 

 

 

NIHR virtual event – Equality, diversity and inclusion in applied health and social care research

Guidance, NHS, Research Ethics, Training

The NIHR Research Design Service South East is hosting an event to discuss and explore what is meant by equality, diversity and inclusion in research and the importance of thinking about it when planning your health or social care research project.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations East Midlands and Centre for BME Health, will talk about his recent research on COVID-19 in ethnic minority populations. Dr Esther Mukuka will talk about her new role as the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the NIHR, and the increasing emphasis being put on those that apply for any NIHR funding to demonstrate their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and a healthy research culture more generally.

The presentations will be followed by informal workshops to look at different case studies demonstrating the application of equality, diversity and inclusion principles in research.

The event is open to anyone with an interest in applied health and social care research.

Sign up online

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/events/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-applied-health-and-social-care-research/27216?utm_source=newsletter-fs&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fs-2021-04

UK government sets out bold vision for the future of clinical research delivery

innovation, NHS, Research Ethics

Patients, clinicians and researchers across the whole of the UK are set to benefit from the ambitious vision for the future of clinical research delivery according to this press release from the UK Government.

The plan includes:

  • Strengthening the UK’s renowned research expertise as a world-leader in designing and delivering research
  • An ambitious vision to unlock the true potential of research putting patients and NHS at its heart
  • Using the lessons from COVID-19 to build back better, the government will create a patient-centred, pro-innovation and digitally-enabled research environment.

Saving and improving lives: the future of UK clinical research delivery, published on March 23rd was developed by the UK government and devolved administrations. The policy paper sets out how they will deliver faster, more efficient and more innovative research – from the streamlining of costing, contracting and approvals processes to the Health Research Authority’s rapid ethics review pilot, which aims to halve the time to provide a final opinion for research applications.

Using best practice, it is hoped that participating in research will become more accessible, increasing diversity and allowing more people across the whole of the UK to take part. They will work with Centres of Excellence, such as the Centre for BME Health in Leicester, and there will be more support for research in more diverse and under-served communities and innovative approaches.

The NHS will be encouraged to put delivery of research at the heart of everything they do, making it an essential and rewarding part of effective patient care. This included building a culture across the NHS and all health and care settings that is positive about research, where all staff feel empowered and supported to take part in clinical research delivery as part of their job.

The vision is built around 5 key themes:

  1. Clinical research embedded in the NHS: to create a research-positive culture in which all health and care staff feel empowered to support and participate in clinical research as part of their job.
  2. Patient-centred research: to make access and participation in research as easy as possible for everyone across the UK, including rural, diverse and under-served populations.
  3. Streamlined, efficient and innovative research: so the UK is seen as the best place in the world to conduct fast, efficient and cutting-edge clinical research.
  4. Research enabled by data and digital tools: to ensure the UK has the most advanced and data-enabled clinical research environment in the world, building on our unique data assets to improve health and care.
  5. A sustainable and supported research workforce: which offers rewarding opportunities and exciting careers for all healthcare and research staff of all professional backgrounds – across both commercial and non-commercial research.

The vision reflects the ambition of all 4 UK governments and has been developed through a broad cross-sector approach involving NHS, medical research charities, life sciences industry and academia. Continued collaboration across sectors and organisations will ensure the key action areas will be delivered.

Remember – support is on offer at BU if you are thinking of introducing your research ideas into the NHS – email the Research Ethics mailbox, and take a look at the Research Governance and Integrity website.

National Institute for Health Research publishes latest annual report

NHS, Research Ethics

The NIHR has published its latest Annual Report highlighting it’s achievements during 2019/2020. You can read more below.

The report celebrates how NIHR funding and support continues to have a lasting impact on our health and social care system. It details our world-class and ground-breaking research that is delivered by the talents and expertise within NIHR and the collaborations and partnerships we have forged. In addition to showcasing the breadth of areas NIHR provides funding and support, over 100 of our major research achievements are featured in the report, organised under the NIHR’s six core workstreams. The report also gives an insight into the shifting focus to COVID-19 research as we came to the end of 2019/20.

You can also access a HTML version of the NIHR Annual Report 2019/2020.

Highlights in this year’s report include:

1. Funding, supporting and delivering high-quality research

At the core of NIHR is a commitment to fund high quality research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care. Our research funding schemes – programmes, units and schools – deliver a coherent programme of response mode and commissioned research. We awarded over £250 million of funding to 310 new projects. Our first-ever dedicated social-care funding call awarded £2.5 million to 12 new projects focused on adult social care.

2. Investing in world-class infrastructure and a skilled delivery workforce

The NIHR’s sustained investment in people, facilities and technology has transformed the health and care system’s ability to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services. This infrastructure supports research funded by NIHR and by our partners. 5,405 research nurses were employed in the CRN, with 43,568 people participating in Good Clinical Practice.

3. Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers

We funded 525 new personal training awards to develop and support the next generation of researchers and leaders. More than 2,300 people were supported by NIHR-funded training awards to develop the skills they need to meet the nation’s health and care needs.

4. Partnering with other public funders, charities and industry

Working successfully with partners in the UK’s world-leading life sciences sector, our Clinical Research Network supported 1,580 industry and commercial studies and 1,738 charity funded studies.

5. Funding applied global health research and training

We supported 8 Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) awards, focused on epilepsy, severe and stigmatising skin diseases, and infection related cancers. 13 RIGHT Proposal and Partnership Development Awards (PPDA) on mental health, 17 Global Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) programme development awards and 61 Training Leads attended the first NIHR Global Health Research Training Forum.

6. Engaging and involving patients, carers and the public

More than 732,000 participants were recruited by the NIHR Clinical Research Network into health and social care studies. 398 members of the public reviewed 841 funding proposals, and 124 members of the public served on our funding committees and advisory boards.

Read more information about our contribution to research and access previous annual reports.

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/nihr-publishes-latest-annual-report/27175 

UK COVID-19 research passes one million participants

NHS

Please see below for an update from the National Institute for Health Research.

More than one million participants have now taken part in COVID-19 research across the UK.

NIHR data shows that a total of 1,075,000 participants have taken part in COVID-19 research, across more than 180 studies. Of these, more than 100 studies were funded by the NIHR, amounting to more than £108 million given to dedicated COVID-19 research.

This milestone has been achieved across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales by members of the public, NHS doctors and nurses, NIHR research staff and researchers, regulators, life science companies, research funders and policy makers.

Their efforts have enabled world-leading research into therapeutics such as dexamethasone and tocilizumab and delivery of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. Platform studies such as RECOVERY, PRINCIPLE and REMAP-CAP have all made a significant contribution to the global understanding of COVID-19.

These discoveries have significantly improved outcomes for people who get the virus, especially those most at risk of becoming severely unwell and hospitalised.

On Monday 15 March, the NIHR and NHS will be launching the #ResearchVsCovid ‘thank you’ campaign to celebrate the efforts of participants, researchers and healthcare professionals for their involvement in COVID-19 research.

The campaign kicks off with a series of video thank yous to participants, researchers and NHS staff. These celebratory videos will feature England’s Chief Medical Officer Prof. Chris Whitty and NHS England Chief Executive, Sir Simon Stevens.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England and co-lead for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), said:

“Reaching one million participants in COVID-19 research shows the impressive selflessness of people across the UK who have volunteered to take part. This research has led to vaccines, better treatments and improved care. A huge thank you to everyone who has taken part in, led or enabled the research.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said:

“During the darkness of this pandemic, NHS clinical researchers, UK scientists and one million volunteer patients have together helped illuminate a more hopeful path for humanity.

“Thanks to their remarkable and selfless work, they have made unique and decisive contributions to therapies and vaccines for our shared global fight against Covid-19. It is amazing to consider that more than one million people in this country who have selflessly volunteered to participate in our research will themselves help save over a million lives worldwide.”

Find out more about the COVID-19 research people have helped to make happen.

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/uk-covid-19-research-passes-one-million-participants/27215?utm_source=twitter-research&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=covid&utm_content=1millionnews

Congratulations to Debora Almeida on latest publication

international, PG research, writing

The journal Resuscitation Plus published a systematic review with Debora Almeida in the Department of Midwifery & Health Sciences as lead author.  Her latest paper ‘Do automated real-time feedback devices improve CPR quality? A systematic review of literature’ is co-authored with colleagues from Brazil.  The review assessed the effectiveness of automated real-time feedback devices for improving CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) performance during training, simulation and real-life resuscitation attempts in the adult and paediatric population.  The paper concludes that the use of automated real-time feedback devices enhances skill acquisition and CPR performance during training of healthcare professionals, and secondly, that further research is needed to better understand the role of feedback devices in clinical setting.

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH)

 

Reference:

  1. Gugelmin-Almeida, D., Tobase, L., Polastri, T.F., Peres, H.H.C., Timerman, S. (2021) Do automated real-time feedback devices improve CPR quality? A systematic review of literature, Resuscitation Plus,
    6, article: 100108

Some thoughts about PhD supervision in Public Health

international, PG research, Publishing, Training

Recently, Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health published our article on ‘PhD supervision in Public Health’ [1].  The lead author is Dr. Pramod Regmi, with co-authors Prof. Padam Simkhada (FHSS Visiting Faculty) from the University of Huddersfield and Dr. Amudha Poobalan from the University of Aberdeen.  The paper has a strong Aberdeen connection, the fifth oldest university in the UK.  Three of us (Poobalan, van Teijlingen & Simkhada) use to work in the Department of Public Health at the University of Aberdeen (one still does), and three of us (Poobalan, Regmi & van Teijlingen) have a PhD from Aberdeen.

Reference:

  1. Regmi, P., Poobalan, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) PhD supervision in Public Health, Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health 20(1):1-4. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/32735/28111

Health Research Authority UPDATE: undergraduate and master’s research projects

NHS, Research Ethics, student research

Please see below for a further update from the HRA on Master’s and undergraduate research. Any queries or concerns please email Suzy Wignall, Clinical Governance Advisor.

Update on student research – new eligibility criteria from 1 September 2021

The HRA and the devolved administrations, supported by the Wessex Institute at the University of Southampton, have reviewed their approach to study approval for student research.
The review aimed to ensure students have the best learning experience of health and social care research, and to reduce the time that the HRA, DAs and NHS Research Ethics Committees (RECs) spend advising on and reviewing student applications.

In March 2020 we paused student research approvals to create capacity for urgent COVID-19 research. Now, from 1 September 2021, we are introducing new eligibility criteria for standalone student research.

New critera

The new criteria mean that some Master’s level students will be able to apply for ethics review and HRA/HCRW Approval or devolved administration equivalent. Standalone research at undergraduate level that requires ethics review and/or HRA/HCRW Approval (or devolved administration equivalent) cannot take place. Arrangements for doctoral research remain unchanged.

Full details are in table one – permitted student research table. We’ve also made it clear when students are able to take the role of Chief Investigator, see table two – which type of students may act as Chief Investigator?

Alternative ways of learning about health and social care research

It is possible for students to learn about health and social care research without completing standalone projects. Looking at other ways to build skills and experience better reflects modern research and emphasises team science. View the video of our event ‘Exploring good practice in Student Research’ to hear from course leaders about how successful these alternative approaches have been (registration is required to view) or read our website for further information and ideas: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/student-research/.

Queries

If you have any queries about the eligibility criteria, please contact queries@hra.nhs.uk.

Take part in EU-funded project survey about perinatal mental health

Did you become a parent last year, or are you an expectant parent? If so, we would like to invite you take part in an online questionnaire about your experiences of perinatal mental health.

The survey is part of the EU-funded PATH project involving 13 partners from France, Belgium the Netherlands and the UK, including Bournemouth University. Professor Wen Tang, an expert in computer science and virtual reality software technologies, is leading BU’s project contribution.

 

The aim of the project is to enable women, families and healthcare professionals to prevent, diagnose and successfully manage mild to moderate perinatal mental health issues.

If you would like to take part in the survey, please go to http://bit.ly/2JuCEQT.