Research

Research for Patient Benefit Programme
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is running a 'Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme', the main aim of which is to support projects in Health Services Research and Public Health. Projects can be either quantitative or qualitative, and should aim to:

• study the way that NHS services are provided and used
• evaluate whether interventions are effective and provide value for money
• examine whether alternative means for providing healthcare would be more effective in terms of cost and effectiveness
• formally assess innovations and developments in healthcare

The national budget is £25 million per annum. Individual research projects can last for up to 36 months with a budget of up to £250,000.

The next 'registration of intention to submit' deadline is 5pm, 10 August 2007, with a subsequent submission deadline of 21 September 2007.

For more information on the programme, guidance on completing the application form, timetable/deadline details and feedback on why previous applications have been rejected, see the RfPB page on the NIHR site at the link below.

• NIHR: Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme
• National Institute for Health Research

Issues in the registration of clinical trials
DA Zarin
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2007, 297(19), pp2112-2120
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Clinical research 1: research questions and design
R Endacott
Accident and Emergency Nursing, 2007, 15(2), pp106-109