Research Awards

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)

Research Application Process

The British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) is a registered charity run voluntary by a national board of senior critical care nurses as per its constitution. It is one of the largest UK membership organisations dedicated to the promotion of excellence in the provision and delivery of critical care nursing.  This involves providing the opportunities and services that support personal and professional development that promote the art and science of critical care nursing. This includes supporting nurses’ research activity via study awards for projects, which may be eligible for adoption onto the NIHR Comprehensive Research Network (CRN) portfolio. 

The BACCN is a non-commercial partner of the NIHR. The benefit of a study being included onto the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) portfolio includes access to NHS infrastructure for research, training, and trial registration. This includes NHS Service Support and Research Management and Governance Support via the Clinical Research Network providing:

  • Potential access to local dedicated skilled research support staff including research nurses and other allied health professionals, who can help identify eligible patients, arrange consent to participate in the study and monitor patients as they progress through the study
  • Support to ensure that your study can be successfully undertaken in the NHS including pharmacy, imaging and pathology services and the possibility of securing protected time for NHS staff to conduct research
  • Access to experienced Research Management and Governance staff that can advise on governance aspects of undertaking clinical research in the NHS and facilitate the rapid approval of your study through the NIHR Coordinated System for gaining NHS permission (NIHR CSP)    

(Taken from www.crn.nihr.ac.uk)

The BACCN adheres to the following eligibility criteria for NIHR clinical research network support:

  • Research awards are openly advertised across the United Kingdom
  • Research protocols and applications are submitted for high quality blind peer review by a minimum of two expert nurses with research experience.
  • Research shows clear benefit to patient care and the NHS
  • All research awards will take into account the priorities, needs and realities of the NHS in making decisions about research that the BACCN funds through its awards.

Submissions

Submissions are for members only and all submissions must be in line with terms and conditions below.

The submission must include:

  • A completed application form (download here)
  • A Research Proposal
  • Copy of data collection tool
  • Copy of invitation letter and participant information sheet
  • Ethics approval letter
  • Evidence of local trust/ organisation approval or permission
  • A covering letter stating how the research will benefit patient care and the NHS
  • Two page curriculum vitae of the chief investigator

In line with other charities, this award will only fund direct research costs and can not be used to pay staff salaries. Direct costs may include transcription, statistician or research assistant services.  

Completed documents must be e-mailed to support@baccn.org for the attention of the National Secretary.

The National Secretary will then anonymise the application and CV prior to sending out for blind peer review by the professional advisors and one other board member. All communication with the applicant will be via the national secretary.

Please note that you may only apply to one BACCN funding stream per year.

Applicants who do not complete within the deadline or who do not meet the requirements of the award will not be eligible for future funding, except in special requirements previously agreed by the Chair of the BACCN or a delegated National Board Member. 

Please refer to the Research Governance Policy HERE

Louise Stayt PhD, MSc, BSc, RN

C Plowright RN, BA, MSc

BACCN National Board Professional Advisors

Application process to be reviewed June 2022