A guide to how CRN WM can support social care research: our offer for researchers

Who we are

The Clinical Research Network (CRN) supports the delivery of health and social care research in England. It does this by building links between research partners (including health providers, social care providers, and research organisations), providing resources to undertake research study related tasks and providing research training.

The CRN makes it possible for thousands of people across England to take part in research studies every year. The CRN is made up of 15 Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs) across England. They help to increase the opportunities for their local population to take part in social care research, support health and social care sites in ensuring studies are carried out to a high standard, and provide practical support to ensure the research successfully delivers its aims. We can support research on any social care topic and in any setting. Despite our name, we have supported research in community centres, care homes, schools, prisons, children's centres and in-home care services.

The CRN is part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The NIHR was established in 2006 to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.

What we can do for you

For research that meets certain criteria (see section below) we offer free of charge operational and practical support including:

Accessing nationally and locally designed research-related training, for those starting off in their research journey, to those who want to refresh their knowledge and good practice

Helping strengthen research grant applications, such as identifying potential recruitment sites, additional study team members and site intelligence

Assisting in categorising the different types of costs associated with delivering your research as part of the grant funding application process, in line with the DHSC Attribution of Costs for Research and Development (AcoRD) principles https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-attributing-the-costs-of-health-and-social-care-research (*see further information below)

Putting you in contact with potential collaborators for social care research funding

Providing peer support

Providing public and service user feedback and involvement in feasibility/acceptability of the research protocol

Specialist advice regarding study delivery attribution and resource identification

Helping researchers identify suitable settings and/or sites (locally and nationally)

Advising researchers on how to make their study work based on our collective experience

Providing the resource to recruit people and/or organisations to take part in your study

Working alongside you to ensure the study recruits the required number of participants in the allocated time

* In most cases when submitting a research grant application you will be required to categorise the different types of costs associated with delivering your research (e.g. service support costs, research costs). CRN West Midlands will support the research sponsor with the completion of the Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Tool (SoECAT).

The SoECAT captures details of the activities undertaken in the research study to allow cost attribution and to identify any excess treatment costs. It must be signed off by an LCRN AcoRD specialist, and submitted alongside all applications for new single stage calls and invitations to submit a final application.

In order to help you with this part of the funding application process, our team requests that they have at least two working weeks notice so please do involve us as early on as possible in your funding application.

Is your study eligible for CRN support? 

To receive support from your Local Clinical Research Network (LCRN) your study must:

Derive generalisable or transferable new knowledge (this excludes: audit; needs assessments; quality improvement and other local service evaluations)

Have appropriate ethical approval or are seeking ethical approval

Will deliver clear value to our health and social care system, including public health

Have received full research funding

The type of funder will also determine eligibility - see below

Funder criteria

NIHR/Government

Studies funded through open and nationally competitive grant calls administered by the NIHR, other areas of central Government (including UK Research and Innovation and the Research Councils) are automatically eligible for NIHR CRN support.

Charities

Studies funded by non-commercial partners (e.g. charities) are eligible for support if they:

Award research funds as a result of open competition across England with high quality peer review; fund research that is of clear value to the NHS, social care or public health and take appropriate account of the priorities, needs and realities of the NHS, social care or public health in making decisions about the research that they fund.

Commercial organisations and other funders

Investigator-initiated, commercially-collaborative research (Industry-funded, non-industry sponsored) studies and studies funded by overseas governments or charities may be eligible for CRN support, but require additional eligibility checks.

So if you have a study at the research idea stage, grant application stage, or beyond then please get in touch as soon as possible to discuss how we can support your study.

Our services 

The Research Design Service (RDS)

This NIHR-funded service provides free help to anyone working in the region who has a ‘good idea’ and would benefit from support. We work to increase the quantity and quality of successful grant applications to NIHR and other national peer-reviewed funding programmes (ie UKRI).

The service is available to anyone in the early stages of considering an application for research funding. Our team of specialist advisers offer free, confidential advice on all aspects of an application including:

• designing a research study
• research methods (qualitative and quantitative)
• identifying suitable sources of funding
• identifying and involving potential research partners to strengthen the research funding application.

Visit the Research Design Service website for more.

Local Case Studies

Lynda Wagstaff, Cancer Research Locality Manager & Lead Research Nurse for Supportive & Palliative Care and David Tyrell, a Research Nurse, were asked to help recruit to a study looking at intimate partner abuse, from among service users at a substance misuse centre. This was a very different field than either of them had been involved in previously. Lynda, David and all of the staff within the Clinical Research Network West Midlands are driven by the aim to ensure that the West Midlands population can access research opportunities of relevance to them. Being able to provide a service to those accessing social care services means we are another step closer to achieving this.

Lynda and David were asking men attending the centre to complete a baseline survey and be randomised to ‘treatment as usual’ or the study intervention, which was a set number of group work sessions. There is a correlation between substance misuse and intimate partner abuse which are often seen as separate issues. The study team thought the potential way to address the problem was to look at both together.

The centre staff were very receptive and supportive throughout the placement. They were passionate about their subject and wanted to ensure their service users had the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they wanted to take part in this research or not. They needed our help to recruit 24 men in four weeks.

The men attending the service have severe drug and/or alcohol issues. Most live in difficult
circumstances which also includes the homeless. Lynda says: ‘Picture the scene; a heroin user, a crack cocaine user and a nurse are doing the Metro crossword over a coffee......... we sat down and simply talked. I was struck with how open and engaging they were. They were honest about what led them to their misuse and what they did or didn’t want to do about it.’

David adds: ‘With this type of research we can begin to tackle real issues in a sensible way. We can have real conversations with people that cover why and how they got to where they are and what support is available to assist with change’.

So, what lessons were learnt about applying their knowledge and skills in a different setting to and with a different participant group to their ‘usual’? They both felt their overall was the same; to sit down and spend the time talking to people. Everyone has a story to tell and should be given the opportunity to tell it, and contribute to new knowledge about how best to support people in these life situations. The same rigorous processes are applied in any setting in which the research takes place. This is important for the safety of the participant and the social care organisation that supports the research. We all have a moral obligation to help every person who lives in the West Midlands population hear about research opportunities they may be interested in, we are here to improve people's lives and the health of our nation through research.

They would like to thank the researchers for inviting them to support their study, the centre staff and all the service users who put up with their coffee and chatter.

*Identifying details of researchers and participants have not been included in this account in the interests of confidentiality.

Below are the main tasks carried out by the Network staff in support of the study:

Check all appropriate approvals in place to recruit participants and all Centre staff are aware of study requirements

Identify key people to allow trial to run smoothly and how trial fits into participant pathway/ service

Identify suitable participants and screen for eligibility

Give trial information and discuss. Answer any questions

Give participant time to consider

Receive consent to participate

Enrol in study

Support with trial allocation/ processes

Record recruitment and complete data entry

Confirm with subject ongoing participation at each visit

Care Home Research

“Most people wouldn’t think that we could be doing research in a care home, but we have been doing it now for a couple of years and I would really recommend other care homes get involved. It has really been a worthwhile experience; we have learnt so much about the needs of our people and it helps to involve our residents’ families in their care as well as helping us engage with them. The Network has been very supportive and helpful - the research team comes as often as they can and they make sure they work around routines of the home, so that there is no disruption to our residents”. Kath Barcroft, the Manager of Hill Top care Home in Stoke on Trent

ENabling Research in Care Homes (ENRICH)

ENRICH brings together care home staff, residents and their families with researchers. Within LCRNs Care Homes, Nursing Homes and Care Villages have signed up to be approached regarding research studies. LCRN staff help facilitate this as well as the usual service we provide as detailed in ‘What we can do for you’ section. For more information visit the ENRICH website.

Other Research Initiatives

Join Dementia Research 

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society have developed Join Dementia Research, an online service which allows people to register their interest in participating in dementia research and be matched to suitable studies.

Everybody now has that chance to see what dementia research is taking place, both in their local area and across the nation.

The service delivers new opportunities for people to play their part in beating dementia; providing a platform for researchers to connect directly with people who want to participate in studies.

This service is widely used. for example as of November 2020:

47,889 volunteers have registered
44,409 participants have joined a study
1,517 researchers have been trained to use the service

For more information go to Join Dementia Research. 

Dementia Researcher

The National Institute for Health Research. (NIHR), Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) have funded this website and companion podcast which provides information and network support for Early Career Dementia Researchers (ECRs) based within the UK and across the world. It provides information of available funding opportunities, jobs and events and shares relevant science, careers and research content. For further information please view https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/

Contact Information:

Study Support Service - studysupport.crnwestmidlands@nihr.ac.uk

Social Care Lead - andrea.shilton@nihr.ac.uk

ENRICH Lead - fawn.harrad@nihr.ac.uk

Join Dementia Research Lead - jacqueline.smart@nihr.ac.uk

Chief Operating Officer - carly.craddock@nihr.ac.uk

Communications Lead - claireanne.hall@nihr.ac.uk

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