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Abstract
Research that is integral into a ‘learning healthcare system’ can promote cost effective services and knowledge creation. As such, research is defined as a ‘core function’ in UK health service organisations, and is often planned through research and development (R&D) strategies that aim to promote research activity and research capacity development (RCD).The discussion focuses around the content of ten R&D strategies for healthcare organisations in England and Scotland, with respect to RCD. These organisations were engaged with a research interest network called ACORN (Addressing Organisational Capacity to do Research Network) that included two Scottish Health Boards, four community and mental health trusts, two provincial district hospitals, and two teaching hospitals.We undertook a thematic documentary analysis of the R&D strategies which identified 11 ‘core activities’ of RCD. The potential for building research capacity in these ‘core activities’ was established by reviewing them through the lens of a RCD framework.Core activities aimed to ‘hard wire’ RCD into health organisations. They demonstrated a complex interplay between developing a strong internal organisational infrastructure, and supporting individual career planning and skills development, in turn enabled by organisational processes. They also included activities to build stronger inter-organisational relationships and networks. Practitioner, manager and patient involvement was a cross cutting theme. The potential to demonstrate progress was included in plans through monitoring activity across all RCD principles. Strategies were primarily aimed at research production rather than research use. Developing ‘actionable dissemination’ was poorly addressed in the strategies, and represents an area for improvement.We describe strengths of RCD planning activities, and opportunities for improvement. We explore how national policy and research funders can influence health systems’ engagement in research.
Highlights
Documentary analysis of the organisation research and development (R&D) strategies We performed a documentary analysis of the ten ACORN members’ R&D strategies, using NVivo 10 Software [21]
Evidence for core research capacity development (RCD) activities in the R&D strategies We provide a description of the core RCD activities we identified, indicating in parentheses which of the RCD principles apply
We have described a range of activities identified through thematic analysis of ten National Health Service (NHS) organisations’ R&D strategies in two countries in the UK
Summary
Research Capacity Development in Healthcare Systems There is broad consensus that healthcare systems should integrate research in order to promote health, wealth and knowledge creation [1]. The current NHS R&D policy ‘Best Research for Best Health’ [9] offers some opportunities for Trusts in shaping and resourcing these strategies This policy instigated a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), with an ambition to support research ‘reach’ into each NHS organisation. It contains the following principles, or ways of doing RCD: promoting actionable dissemination (DISS); developing research ‘close to practice’ (CTP); developing a support infrastructure (INF); supporting linkages and collaborations (LINKS); developing research skills and confidence in the health services workforce (SKILLS); and planning sustainability (SUS). We ascertain our findings may be a useful starting point for discussion for others planning RCD in health services
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