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----- Original Message ----- From: "Helen BUTTERY (7125)" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 11:26 AM Subject: Support for research in nursing and allied health professions > > PRESS RELEASE > > > > Date: 16.05.02 > > > > Fund and award schemes to boost capacity of high quality > > research related to nursing and professions allied to > > medicine > > > > Embargoed until 1500 hours on Thursday 16 May 2002 > > > > The HEFCE and the Department of Health have agreed to establish a fund to > > increase the > > amount of high quality research related to nursing and allied health > > professions, Sir Howard > > Newby, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for > > England, announced > > today (16 May). > > > > Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Deans and Heads of UK Faculties > > for Nursing, > > Midwifery and Health Visiting in York, Sir Howard also announced two new > > award schemes > > at doctoral and post-doctoral levels for future research leaders. > > > > Sir Howard said the announcements were based on the recommendations of a > > task group, > > chaired by Professor Janet Finch, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, > > which looked at how > > high-quality research relevant to nurses and professions allied to > > medicine could be better > > supported. > > > > The report, which was based on independent research, found that research > > in this area was > > significantly underfunded in comparison with other comparable professions > > such as > > teaching, and that the available funding was skewed towards short-term > > projects. > > > > Sir Howard said he was struck by the eagerness of the nursing and allied > > health professional > > community to engage with the task of supporting evidence based practise in > > the professions > > and creating new knowledge. The task group's report presented a clear case > > for nursing > > research and a plan for investment to realise its potential. > > > > Sir Howard said that HEFCE and the DH had accepted the report's key > > recommendation that > > a fund should be established to support the development of research > > capacity in nursing and > > allied health professions. > > > > 'I can announce today that we will be establishing a strategic funding > > committee with a broad > > remit to examine what we should fund, how we should fund it and how much > > support it will > > require. The committee will have an ongoing remit to advise the HEFCE and > > DH and will be > > asked to report publicly on progress towards a mature and dynamic research > > base.' > > > > 'I am also delighted to announce that Professor Janet Finch has agreed to > > chair the > > committee. Together with her we will be looking to identify other members > > in the very near > > future.' > > > > Sir Howard said that while the amount of funding HEFCE could contribute > > would depend on > > the outcome of this summer's Spending Review, it was important to maintain > > the momentum > > that had built up following the publication of the Task Group's report > > last November (Note 1). > > 'We think it is important to start now.' > > > > Director of Research, Analysis and Information at the Department of > > Health, Professor Sir > > John Pattison said: > > > > "We are delighted to be working in partnership with HEFCE on this exciting > > new initiative, > > both to address the needs of nurses and allied health professionals as > > well as develop new > > research. > > > > "Nurses and allied health professionals are already key to the delivery of > > patient care in the > > NHS. This fund will give them the chance to develop not only their own > > roles but new > > practices that will benefit everybody who uses and works in the health > > service." > > > > Sir Howard also announced the creation of two new award schemes to enable > > individuals to > > develop their research skills in order to maximise their contribution to > > health care research. > > > > Researcher Development Awards are intended to identify individuals of > > outstanding potential > > early in their research careers and 'fast track' them by supporting them > > in a research training > > environment with a training programme, which reflects individual talents > > and needs. These > > are doctoral awards for three or four years. > > > > Post Doctoral Awards are intended for individuals who as yet do not have > > sufficient > > experience as independent researchers to apply for a Career Scientist > > Award but who have > > already obtained their doctoral degree. These post doctoral awards are for > > three or fours > > years. > > > > Ends > > > > For further information please contact Philip Walker or Roger Grinyer at > > HEFCE on 0117 931 > > 7307 or Alison Langley at DH on 7210 5649 > > > > Notes to Editors > > > > 1. The report 'Research in nursing and allied health professions: > > Report of the Task > > Group 3 to HFCE and the Department of Health' (HEFCE 01/63) is available > > from HEFCE > > publications (tel 0117 931 7035) and on the HEFCE web-site www.hefce.ac.uk > > , under > > 'Publications'. > > > > 2. Applications forms and guidance notes for the National Nursing and > > Allied Health > > Professional awards are available on the Department of Health web-site at > > www.doh.gov.uk/research. For further information on the awards, contact > > Mrs Alison Pighills > > on 0113 233 6668/7. > > > > 3. Allied health professionals comprise a wide range of staff including: > > physiotherapists, > > occupational therapists, arts therapist, chiropodists, speech & language > > therapists, > > dieticians, laboratory staff, radiographers and paramedics. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Julian Burnell > > Corporate Communications Department > > The Higher Education Funding Council for England > > 0117 931 7431 > > [log in to unmask] > > www.hefce.ac.uk > > Northavon House, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol > > BS16 1QD > >