Research is crucial to the NHS. It helps the NHS understand, adapt and respond to the challenges it faces. These challenges might come from changes in policy, populations, technologies or disease patterns. In the present climate, research evidence can play a key role in helping the NHS respond to the challenge of improving quality while simultaneously finding efficiencies.
Research is not just something that should concern clinicians: evidence-based practice should extend to the organisation and management of healthcare services. High performing healthcare organisations understand the performance advantage gained through an ability to generate and absorb knowledge. There is strong evidence of links between an organisation’s research activity, overall performance and patient outcomes.
Embedding an approach and investing in building capacity for improvement are key attributes of high performing organisations. All NHS organisations, large or small, can benefit from greater engagement in research. Engaging in research is much more than recruiting patients for trials. It is about evidence-based practice, quality improvement, innovation and evaluation. Just as a clinician delivering high quality care depends on keeping abreast of the latest research evidence, NHS managers need to be aware of what knowledge and evidence exists when making service decisions.
Engendering a research aware culture from the top is the best way of doing this. Leaders in these organisations are acutely aware of the example they set. Research evidence has shown that organisational culture and climate are associated with attitudes towards adoption of innovative practice, and a climate conducive for innovation adoption is set from the top. A key role is played by highly skilled and committed champions in pivotal positions who are able to drive the innovation process. Strong leadership is necessary because it fosters commitment and culture, and helps guide the establishment of governance and performance mechanisms.
Find out more about the benefits of research in our briefing: 'Being a good research partner: the virtues and rewards'.
Don’t just ask us!
“Local NHS organisations have greater freedom than ever before to set their own priorities – looking out to their patients, local populations and key partners to help plan and deliver services. Key to the success of those plans however needs to be the better use of information, data and research, and the SDO Network can play a role in helping managers understand how research evidence can guide the development of innovative leading edge services.”
David Nicholson, NHS chief executive
“Exposure to research strengthens managers’ ability to innovate”
Ron Kerr, chief executive, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
“Managers need to have a far greater awareness of research if they are truly to have an effective dialogue with clinicians”
Mike Cooke, chief executive, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust