Research Guidelines
If approached by an individual or organization about the possibility of conducting any sort of research in any of our services, please follow the guideline below:
- Please direct the researcher that all proposals should be put in writing to Dr Jenny Keen in the first instance with a brief research outline for consideration.
- Please let the researcher know that we receive many requests to carry out research with our patients or using our data, and the following principles are in place regarding research in the service.
Principles underlying research in PH
Rationale for research
We have a unique resource in our patient base and existing databases. However the principle must be respected that patients’ participation is requested only when the potential research outcomes are worthy of the intrusion on the patient’s time and goodwill.
This is particularly the case in any study where we would need to look at individual patient records, interview patients or in any way ask patients to forgo their right to 100% confidentiality.
Scope of research
- We particularly welcome research proposals which evaluate treatment outcomes
- We also welcome research on new aspects of treatment provision
- We are not able to support research regarding baseline data (levels of distress in doctors, etc) as this is already well documented in the literature
Research infrastructure
- We would expect all research within the service to be aimed at publication in a peer reviewed journal, and this will mean seeking NHS ethics committee approval before research can commence
- We are not commissioned to support research and have no funding available for this purpose. For this reason we would particularly welcome fully funded research
- When research funding is sought we would ask to be involved at an early stage
- Where research requires significant input from PH staff including clinician input, we would seek to have this staff time costed into the research proposal
- We are not able to support research which does not involve an active academic partner who can offer statistical, library and other research infrastructure facilities