CRN North East and North Cumbria Targeting Health Needs Funding Call - Guidance 2022/23

Contents

Introduction

We are pleased to announce that a further Targeting Health Needs (THNs) funding call is open to applications with funding to be awarded in 2023/24. The total spend for this call has been capped at £???. Due to contractual arrangements, funding will be for one year only and each bid cannot exceed £30,000.

The focus of the THNs funding call 2023/24 will be expanding the reach of NIHR Portfolio studies to under-served communities within the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) - Bringing clinical and applied research to under-served communities with major health needs.

This call will be open to the following regional priority areas:

• Mental health - including applications that may be hosted outside of mental health teams e.g. mental health in a specialty or following a particular physical health event
• Dementia care - including applications with a community/social care aspect
• Improving population health - prevention, early detection and effective management of the biggest causes of premature mortality: cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes and respiratory disease
• Deprived (Deep End) and hard to reach communities with major health needs

These areas have been identified following consultation with the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC), Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and considering the priorities of the Integrated Care System North East and North Cumbria.

Key objectives of the awards

• To increase recruitment to NIHR Portfolio studies;
  • Within a geography that has previously been under-served by research activity
  • In more than one regional partner organisation
  • Within at least one specialty area including primary care, public health and social care

Funding principles

This funding is part of the CRN NENC core funding allocation. As such, the principles which apply to other elements of infrastructure funding also apply here. The following should be considered before making an application:

• Each bid must not exceed £30,000 spend
• All costings must be within the Agenda for Change (the main NHS pay system)/Higher Education Institution salary range
• Successful applicants are expected to report on the progress of their project (quarterly) to achieve one or more of the key objectives
• Funding;
  • Must be used in line with agreed budget plan
  • Must be used within 2023/24 and cannot be carried over
  • Must be used for NIHR study delivery only
  • Should not in any way be used to contribute to commercial research

Awards process and timeline

Process

Please apply using the online application form. Applications will close on 4th November 2022.

Applications will:

• Show likely positive impact on;
  • Recruitment in area of priority health need and/or
    Work in a new setting or accessing an under-served research population
    Evidence of engagement and collaboration with relevant:
    Partner organisations, specialty group,
    Primary care/Public Health/Social Care/non-NHS organisations (if appropriate)
    How applicants intend to mitigate risk of underspend
    Require sign off by R&D Director/Manager, organisational lead or proposed budget holder.

CRN NENC will give preference to bids which:
Look to extend recruitment/add new recruitment sites to an existing NIHR Portfolio study which supports the aim of conducting research in areas which which have been historically under-served by research activity or where there is an unmet need
Target more than one priority area e.g cross specialty/setting working
Engage meaningfully with the under-served communities within the NENC region
Can show collaboration with other organisations, specialties, NIHR platforms, charities and the voluntary sector to develop their bids
Use digital technologies, remote care or digital recruitment strategies to enhance their recruitment potential.
Have been co-funded, or are in the process of being co-funded. Research Delivery Awards or other CRN NENC funding sources are not considered as co-funding.

Please note: due to the likely number of applications it will not be possible to provide specific feedback to applicants.

Timeline