The Health Services Research Network (HSRN) aims to connect all universities, commercial and professional organisations, charities and NHS bodies with an interest in HSR. It defines health services research as all research that underpins improvements in the way health services are financed, organised, planned and delivered, and includes health technology assessments and health policy research. The HSRN is supported by the Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust.
The HSRN aims to:
- influence policymakers and managers to support better use of research and to ensure that research priorities reflect the needs of the public, policymakers and those responsible for the management of the system
- campaign for secure funding for HSR and measures to improve HSR careers
- promote interchange between health services research, clinical work and management
- provide a collective voice for researchers in the wider policy debate
- promote issues of common interest to funders, universities and Government.
It does this by:
- representing the HSR community to Government, funding organisations, the management community and other professional bodies by initiating and leading discussion and responding to policy issues
- organising events to promote HSR and provide opportunities for dialogue between researchers and with managers
- building international links with equivalent bodies.
The HSRN provides a unique opportunity for communication between health services researchers, managers and policy makers.
There are over 100 organisations in membership, including around 50 groups of health services researchers in universities and other institutes (representing over a 1000 people), and around 60 NHS bodies with an interest in HSR and knowledge transfer.
The Health Services Research Network Board
To help ensure the HSRN meets its aims it is overseen by a Board structured so that it has representation from the health services research community, research funders and NHS management.
From April 2011 Board Membership is as follows:
- Chair and elected HSR member: Professor Charles Wolfe, Head of Health and Social Care Research, Director of R&D, King's College London, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
- Elected HSR Network member: Professor Jon Nicholl, Deputy Dean of ScHARR and Director of Medical Care Research Unit, University of Sheffield
- Elected HSR Network member: Professor Rachel Elliott, Professor of Medicines & Health, University of Nottingham
- Elected HSR Network member: Professor Kieran Walshe, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Manchester Business School, and Associate Director, Health Services & Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme
- Co-opted HSR member: Professor Cathy Pope, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton
- Co-opted HSR member: Professor Ray Fitzpatrick, Programme Director,Health Services & Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme
- NHS organisation member: Professor Sue Mawson, Director of NIHR CLAHRC for South Yorkshire and Professor of Rehabilitation, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS organisation member: Hugh Ross, Former Director of NHS Wales Health Strategy Unit and Chair, NHS Evaluations Panel, HS&DR Programme
- Co-opted NHS member: Dr Peter Homa, Chief Executive, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Department of Health member: Steph Garfield-Birkbeck, Assistant Director, NETSCC – Health Services & Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme
- Health Foundation member: Helen Crisp, Assistant Director of Research and Development, The Health Foundation
- Nuffield Trust member: Dr Judith Smith, Head of Policy, The Nuffield Trust
Nomination and election
The four academic Board members are elected from the HSRN paying membership body by ballot. The NHS Confederation initially nominated the senior NHS management representatives but from April 2008 these two positions were also through open nomination and election. Funders of the Network nominate one representative each to sit on the Board as does the NHS Confederation. In February 2008 the Board co-opted two additional academic members to the Board. The Chair's position is held by one of the elected academics and elected by the Board. Elected members serve terms of three years.
Responsibilities of the Board
The work programme of the HSRN is set by the Network members. Their views are fed to the Board via the secretariat. The Board meets quarterly and: steers the annual work programme of the Network; represents the Network at external meetings; contributes to the preparation of ad hoc documents such as responses to consultations; updates members on the Network's progress on the work programme at the annual meeting.
Member roles & responsibilities
In joining the HSRN, members agree to:
- participate in the development of the HSRN's work programme
- offer venues for events where appropriate
- participate in taking the work programme forward within their own organisations
- ensure that all useful information and materials are shared with HSRN members
- ensure the organisation is represented at the annual meeting.
Finance
Network members will be invoiced on an annual basis. In addition, grants are provided by the NIHR and the Nuffield Trust. The Network operates its own budget and produces a separate set of accounts for the membership annually. The Board steers the way in which funds are allocated.
The HSRN is a standalone project within the framework of the NHS Confederation's governing body and is operated from within the NHS Confederation's group company. The trustees of the NHS Confederation have overall responsibility for the good conduct of the Network and will ensure that there is no cross-subsidisation.