About us

HSC R&D Division works in a number of areas including:

  • Funding Opportunities
  • Research Infrastructure
  • Enabling Researchers and Users of Research
  • Personal and Public Involvement

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Funding Opportunities

HSC R&D Division provides a number of funding opportunities for researchers based in Northern Ireland to undertake research that provides high quality evidence to improve care for patients, clients and the general population, and adds to our understanding of health, disease, treatment and care.

HSC R&D provides funding in areas such as:

  • Research Fellowships and other research training opportunities
  • Knowledge Exchange to support innovation as a means of transferring HSC R&D findings into practice and thus improve the impact of research
  • Needs-Led Commissioned Research derived from an on-going systematic process to identify and prioritise research needs
  • Opportunity-Led Commissioned Research derived from ad-hoc opportunities to exploit partnership funding
  • Enabling Research to create opportunities for researchers to compete for research funding on a wider UK or international basis
  • Workshops and Conferences to support the dissemination of research
  • US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme

For all the latest opportunities please see: www.research.hscni.net

For lists of research projects previously funded by HSC R&D please see: http://www.research.hscni.net/portfolio-projects

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Research Infrastructure

HSC R&D Division provides funding for essential infrastructure needed for research such as information databanks, tissue banks, clinical research facilities, clinical trials units and research networks. These are vital for the successful delivery of local research.

For example the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network (NICRN) provides skilled health professionals who can help researchers to set up and run clinical studies quickly and effectively and work with patients and the public to ensure their needs are at the centre of research activity. This enables people in Northern Ireland to participate in well conducted clinical trials, thereby enabling them to access potentially superior new treatments before they are available through routine services.

For the more information on the entire research infrastructure please see: www.research.hscni.net

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Enabling Researchers and Users of Research

HSC R&D Division HSC R&D promotes, coordinates and facilitates the conduct of R&D by both HSC and non-HSC organisations across the academic, voluntary and commercial sectors. We are committed to ensuring that the research governance process within the HSC is as efficient as possible.

We are also committed to ensuring that researchers and users of research have access to the latest and most relevant information relating to research in health and social care in Northern Ireland including an understanding of the research landscape.

For further information, please contact HSC R&D Division at:

HSC Research & Development Division
Public Health Agency
12-22 Linenhall Street
BELFAST BT2 8BS
Tel: (028) 9536 3490
Email: enquiry.rdpha@hscni.net

http://www.research.hscni.net/contact-point-researchers

HSC R&D is also involved in running events related to research, as well as promoting relevant events run by others. For information on relevant event please see: http://www.research.hscni.net/events

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Personal and Public Involvement (PPI)

HSC R&D is committed to ensuring that there is personal and public involvement (PPI) in HSC R&D.

This means involving you:

If you are a service user, carer or member of the public who would like to be involved in research, the following links provide more information about our Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) strategy and ways in which you could become involved in the work of HSC R&D Division.

For further information please see http://www.research.hscni.net/personal-and-public-involvement-research  or contact Dr Gail Johnston at gail.johnston@hscni.net

A study, Public Involvement in Research applications to the National research Ethics Service (October 2011) by Maryrose Tarpey published by the National Research Ethics Service (NRES) and INVOLVE, looked at the extent and nature of reported public involvement in health and social care research using information routinely collected by NRES as part of the applications process for ethical approval of research projects. The report:

  • provides a ‘snapshot’ of public involvement in research and identifies practical actions for funders, sponsors and regulators in ensuring and facilitating further patient and public involvement;
  • provides some key insights into the extent to which patients and the public are involved in research, and the understanding of researchers and funders of effective involvement.

A copy of the report is available by following this link: http://www.invo.org.uk/posttypepublication/public-involvement-in-research-applications-to-the-national-research-ethics-service-nres/

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­­­­­­­For further information on HSC R&D Division please see our main website: www.research.hscni.net

Also view a pdf showing an overview of the areas of support provided by HSC R&D - Click HSC R&D Structure Jan 2015.pdf