Applying to the Chief Scientist Office: a users guide

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Applying to the Chief Scientist Office a users
guide

• Peter Craig, CSO
• Scottish Centre for Telehealth Launch Conference
• Dunblane Hydro, 26 October 2008

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Why research?
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Waveforms and images anywhere, anytime
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• Every happy family is alike each unhappy family
  is unhappy in its own way.
• Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

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Outline

• Recent applications
• The CSO application process
• How to approach writing a grant application
• What we look for in a good application

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Recent projects

• Strategies for optimal reperfusion in ST segment
  evaluation myocardial infarction. A feasibility
  study for provision of primary percutaneous
  coronary intervention and pre-hospital
  thrombolytic therapy in Scotland
• An evaluation of computer-guided approaches to
  cognitive behaviour therapy in remote and rural
  areas A feasibility study
• Investigating the potential and limitations of
  telephone consultations in delivering accessible,
  quality and safe patient-centred primary care
  the views of patients, clinicians and
  administrative staff
• How do telephone consultations differ from face
  to face consultations in content and quality? A
  pilot comparative study using tape recorded
  consultations
• Stress in NHS24 Nurses level, determinants and
  consequences assessed using psychological,
  physiological and behavioural measures

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Recent applications

• Common problems
• Lack of a health services research perspective
• Narrow range of skills
• Over-emphasis on choice of measures
• Inadequate consideration of sample size,
  recruitment, attrition, impact of exclusion
  criteria, etc.
• Inadequately developed or poorly described
  intervention

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What does CSO offer

• Small grants (lt50k, 1 year)
• Project grants (lt225k, 3 years)
• Portfolio/programme grants (lt450k)
• Research studentships, research training
  fellowships, etc.
• Research units

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The CSO application process
Outline application
Resubmit outline/ application
Referee reports
Full application
Referee reports
Funding committee
Reject
Fund
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Approach

• Get to know your funder
• Respond constructively to referees, etc
• Work as a team

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What do we look for in a good grant application?

• Introduction
• Concise, systematic review of the evidence
• Pilot studies
• Handle with care
• Aims and research questions
• How many?
• Original, answerable, relevant

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What do we look for in a good grant application?

• Methods
• Fit for purpose
• Use guidelines where possible
• CONSORT
• STROBE, TREND, etc
• Cochrane Collaboration
• MRC complex interventions
• Common pitfalls
• Over-complication
• Sample size determination
• Recruitment, attrition, exclusion criteria
• Inadequate description of the intervention

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What do we look for in a good grant application?

• Resources
• Timetable
• Expertise available
• Justification of requirements
• What is value for money?
• Reporting, dissemination, implementation
• Range of outputs
• Realistic expectations

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Some general rules

• Applications should
• Address a worthwhile question
• Use appropriate methods
• Fit the funders remit
• Be able to deliver with the resources requested
• Be well-written, clear and convincing

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Summary
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Resources on the web

• Funders
• http//www.rdinfo.org.uk
• Research governance and ethics
• http//www.corec.org.uk
• http//www.show.scot.nhs.uk/csags
• http//www.show.scot.nhs.uk/cso/index.htm
• http//medicines.mhra.gov.uk

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Resources on the web

• Methodological guidelines
• http//www.consort-statement.org
• http//strobe-statement.org/
• http//www.mrc.ac.uk/pdf-mrc_cpr.pdf
• http//cochrane.org/index0.htm
• Some more general guidelines
• http//www.sdo.lshtm.ac.uk/faq.htm
• Contact me at
• Peter.craig_at_scotland.gsi.gov.uk