Southmead Hospital Charity Research Fund Public Involvement

It is a scheme that is funded by public donations to the Southmead Hospital Charity specifically for research projects up to the value of £20,000.

Decisions about which projects to fund and feedback on applications is made by both a Clinical Awarding Panel and a Public Panel.

The Awarding Panel is made up of a range of clinical research leads from across the Trust, university research staff, people who deliver research at NBT and includes members of the Public.

The Public Panel are members of the public who help us to review the applications. Public members do not need any research experience.

The Research Fund is only possible because of public donations, and the Public Panel is a vital part of the awarding process.

Research can be in any area, but must be relevant to the NHS, could improve patient outcomes or save the NHS money.

Research project applications can request up to £20,000 and be up to 24 months long for the researcher to complete the project.

The lead applicant must have a contract with NBT but we welcome collaboration from across Bristol and the universities.

To see previously funded research please visit the Your Impact on Research page.

The Research Fund is a two-stage process.

Stage 1 (Expression of Interest): Feedback Meeting

• You will be asked to review and complete a form on approximately 15 applications that have been shortlisted at stage 1 and attend a virtual Feedback Meeting that will last up to two hours.
• You can choose whether you would rather be sent a hard copy of the full applications or receive them by email.
• You must read the Plain English Summary of each application to attend the Feedback Meeting, but you are welcome to read the full document.

Your feedback from the meeting will be collated by Research & Innovation and sent to applicants to inform their Stage Two application.

Stage 2 (Full Stage): Scoring Meeting and Awarding Panel

• You will be asked review and score the resubmitted applications (approximately 15).

You can choose whether you would rather be sent a hard copy of the full applications or receive them by email.

• You are required to read the Plain English Summary as a minimum and then score and comment on the applications to attend the Scoring Meeting.

The scores and comments from the Scoring Meeting will be collated and sent to the Chair of the Awarding Panel. Two members of the Public Panel will be invited to attend the online Awarding Panel meeting and represent the Public voice.

• We will hold a getting to know us on-line meeting at the end of November where we will explain in more detail about what’s involved.
• A research applications Feedback Meeting will take place in mid-January 2022, you will receive applications for review in mid-December.
• The Scoring Meeting will be in early to mid-March 2022, you will receive applications for review in late February.   
• The Awarding Meeting (We will ask 2 Public Panel members to volunteer to attend) will be in late-March 2022.

• You will be helping us to decide which research projects are funded through the fund.
• You will be reviewing research proposals that cover all areas of the Trust.
• We will provide a non-cash transferable Love to Shop giftcard as a thank you for your time.

You will be offered a non-cash transferable Love to shop gift card for each meeting you attend.

Payment Breakdown per meeting:

• £25.00 Gift Card for attending the ‘Getting to know us’ on-line meeting at the end of November.
• £75.00 Gift Card for your involvement in the research applications Feedback Meeting which will take place in mid-January 2022.
• £75.00 Gift Card for your involvement in the Scoring Meeting which will be in early to mid-March 2022.
• £50.00 if you attend the Awarding Meeting (We will ask 2 Public Panel members to volunteer to attend) will be in late-March 2022.

The National Institute for Health research has produced in-depth guidance on the NIHR website.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, or you have any questions, please email ella.parker@nbt.nhs.uk.