Eligibility frequently asked questions

E1. My study is supported by several non-commercial funding bodies, how is eligibility determined?
Studies that are automatically eligible and that have a high priority for NIHR Comprehensive Clinical Research Network (CCRN) support are studies that have the majority of their research funding provided by the NIHR, other areas of Government, and NIHR non-commercial Partners. You will need to provide a full list of the organisations funding the study and the amount of funding received from each. If the majority (>50%) is from NIHR and its non-commercial Partners, then the study is automatically eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio. If the proportion of funding from NIHR and its non-commercial Partners is less than 50%, then the study will require formal consideration through an adoption process prior to acceptance on the NIHR CRN Portfolio (medium/lower priority studies).

E2. I have a personal award, can the work I do be included in the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
NIHR CRN eligibility is determined on a study by study basis, rather than the activity of an individual. If you hold a personal award (eg. fellowship) won in open national competition from the NIHR (NCCRCD) or an NIHR non-commercial Partner and the specific project which you are working on was reviewed as part of the selection process for the award, then the project is automatically eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio. If this is not the case, then the study will require formal consideration (as above) prior to acceptance on the NIHR CRN Portfolio (medium/lower priority studies).

E3. My study involves recruitment of patients in a non-NHS setting, is it eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
The purpose of the Portfolio is to ensure that all high quality research, funded by the NIHR and its Partners, that involves NHS patients and/or resources has access to NHS Service Support Costs, and other infrastructure support, via the NIHR’s Clinical Research Networks. Studies which include NHS patients, some or all of whom are being cared for in a private (or other non-NHS) setting, and whose care is being funded by the NHS, are eligible for inclusion in the Portfolio and will be able to access infrastructure support through the NIHR’s Clinical Research Networks. The NHS patients involved in these studies will be counted in accrual figures. Any other studies which involve patients being treated in a non NHS setting should be discussed with the NIHR CRN CC.

E4. My study involves a workplace intervention involving NHS staff, is it eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
Research studies which involve NHS employees, as participants, are eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio subject to assessment against the same eligibility criteria as studies involving NHS patients. The costs, eg. time commitment, associated with NHS staff members participating in a study can be met through the NIHR’s Clinical Research Networks.

E5. My study is public health research, is it eligible for inclusion onto the Portfolio and will I be able to access infrastructure funding via NIHR CRN CC's Networks?
The purpose of the Portfolio is to ensure that all high quality research, funded by the NIHR and its Partners, that involves NHS patients and/or resources has access to research infrastructure support, via the NIHR’s Clinical Research Networks. If the public health intervention takes place in an NHS setting, or involves subjects who are recruited in their capacity as NHS patients, or are NHS staff, then the study is appropriate for entry onto the Portfolio (subject to meeting the eligibility criteria) and will be able to access the necessary service support and other infrastructure funding through the NIHR’s Clinical Research Networks.

E6. I receive funding from an NIHR Partner Organisation which supports the establishment/running of a tissue bank, a disease registry, data bank, cohort or other resource which underpins a number of research studies, is this eligible for inclusion on the Portfolio?
The primary purpose of the Portfolio is to capture the details of high quality research projects which are being undertaken in the NHS and are eligible for support through the NIHR’s Clinical Research Networks. A “research project” is defined as a structured activity which is intended to provide new knowledge which is generalisable. The establishment and running of tissue banks or disease registries does not, in itself, constitute a research project (as there is no “research question”) and these activities are not therefore eligible for inclusion on the Portfolio. However, activities such as the collection and banking of tissue, or inclusion of patient details on a registry, which forms an integral part of a structured research project, or research projects which utilise such resources, are eligible for inclusion on the Portfolio (subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria).

E7. My study is funded as part of a centre grant, is it eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
Individual studies funded as part of centre grants are automatically eligible, and have a high priority for NIHR CRN support, only if the funder can demonstrate satisfactory arrangements for the formal quinnenial review of the centre grant. In the future such individual studies will only be eligible if the parent centre grant is awarded in line with the criteria set out in 3.1a.

E8. My study is funded by a university, college or local healthcare organisation, is it eligible for inclusion on the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
UK and non UK universities, colleges and local healthcare organisations (including NHS Trusts) are not eligible funders. Studies funded by these organisations are therefore not eligible for inclusion in the NIHR CRN Portfolio.

E9. My study is funded by a non commercial (non profit making) organisation, is it eligible for inclusion on the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
Studies are automatically eligible and have high priority for NIHR Comprehensive Clinical Research Network (CRN) support if the non commercial organisation / funder is based in the UK and the funding stream providing the grant award has been confirmed as eligible by the Department of Health. These funders are referred to as "NIHR Partners".

E10. My study is funded by a non-UK commercial (non profit making / charitable) organisation, is it eligible for inclusion on the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
Studies for which the primary source of research funding is a non-UK charity require formal consideration through an adoption process prior to acceptance on the NIHR CRN Portfolio.

Studies need to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria set out in the DH document “Eligibility for inclusion of studies in the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio.”  Such studies that are accepted onto the Portfolio will have a low priority for NIHR CLRNs Network support.

E11. My study is funded by a national organisation whose primary purpose is not as a funder of research. Is it eligible for inclusion on the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
(a) Where the funder is a government agency or another national body that meet the NIHR Partner organisation requirements and this is confirmed by the Department of Health and then confirmed in writing by the NIHR CRN CC, studies commissioned by this body will be automatically eligible for inclusion on the Portfolio.
(b) Where the funder is not a government agency or a NIHR Partner organisation, the study will require formal consideration through an adoption process prior to acceptance on the NIHR CRN Portfolio (and will be considered as medium priority studies).

E12. My study is supported by a small grant, is it eligible for inclusion on the NIHR CRN Portfolio?
The primary purpose of the Portfolio is to capture the details of high quality research projects which are being undertaken in the NHS and are eligible for support through NIHR Clinical Research Networks. A “research project” is defined as a structured activity which is intended to provide new knowledge which is generalisable. Studies that constitute a research project and are funded by is a government agency or another national body that meet the NIHR Partner Organisation requirements and this is confirmed by the Department of Health and then confirmed in writing by the NIHR CRN CC, will be automatically eligible for inclusion on the Portfolio.

E13. My study is being conducted within an NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), a Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) or NIHR CLAHRC (Collaboration for Leadership in Health Research and Care) funded programme of research. Should it be registered on the NIHR CRN Portfolio Database as Patient Safety etc?
Funding for NIHR Centres and Units is "self-contained", i.e. funding for both research costs and NHS clinical infrastructure costs, (NHS "service support costs") are included in the award. This funding goes directly to the NHS partner in each of these NHS/University collaborations. Studies that are being conducted as part of a BRC/BRU/CLAHRC/PSQRC programme therefore will not require infrastructure support from their Comprehensive Local Research Network.

Such studies do however have access to NIHR Coordinated System for gaining NHS Permission (NIHR CSP) via the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) but are not entered onto the NIHR CRN Portfolio Database.

Last updated: 31 March 2009