The UCLH Centre for Access to Research (CAR) aims to initiate local learning and actions with one overriding vision – equitable access for all to health research whereby:
- Health research, including the possibility to take part and have a say in it, is understandable and communicated to all.
- There are no barriers, including misconceptions or distrust, to recruitment or involvement of particular sections of society.
- Health research, and the opportunity to take part in it, is an inherent part of all patient healthcare experience.
What the CAR wants to do
The aim of the CAR is to act as a catalyst for change by bringing together patients and public contributors, UCL academic expertise, UCLH clinical services expertise and NHS providers to pool ideas, experience and expertise.
The centre will identify, initiate and support work looking to find out what stops health research being accessible to all and what can be done to make it accessible.
The centre will work towards real change and impact in clinical and research settings and will look to initiate local actions that compliment national guidance. The CAR is looking for practical actions that researchers, clinical services and partner organisations can take to increase access and make a difference.
How?
To do this the CAR is looking to instigate research and projects that investigate barriers to equitable access to health research and that trial and evaluate measures to break them down.
The CAR will initiate work that has the potential to transform access to research whether through changes to the recruitment process, communication of research, patients’ healthcare experience (ie what happens in a clinical setting), or the generic way studies are designed, communicated and delivered.
The CAR will focus on research projects that have robust and rigorous methods; and that will produce findings that can be implementable across multiple disease areas. A priority for the CAR is work that has the potential to improve access for underserved and marginalised groups.
In doing so the centre is looking to build up an evidence base for ways of making research accessible to all which can be shared with others.
What research and projects?
The research which the CAR seeks to improve access to includes: the full range of biomedical research from lab-based research to later phase trials, bioresources, research using data and research into health services and patient experience.
The research or investigations which the CAR seeks to initiate and support delivery of may be: qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods or descriptive, analytical or experimental.
The CAR is looking to support research and projects carried out by collaborative partnerships of researchers, healthcare providers, patients and clinicians.
What support can the CAR give?
By bringing multiple partners together the CAR can provide academic, patient and grant application expertise and link people up to mutual benefit. The centre will not be funding entire projects but will be offering small grants to enable collaborative partnerships to work up, design and develop robust and rigorous research proposals that establish a competitive and compelling case for grant funding from other organisations.
CAR‘’s small grant scheme
Partnership teams of public contributors, clinicians and academics can apply for small grants (under £5000) to enable them to devote time and effort to design and develop robust and rigorous research proposals, including the gathering of pilot data that establish a compelling case for further research and a competitive case for grant funding from other organisations.
