This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Investment priorities for health research
11/08/2003
Giving the public more say in how health research
funding is spent is one of the key aims of a new strategy,
published today by the Scottish Executive Health
Department's Chief Scientist Office (CSO).
The 'Research Strategy for Health and Healthcare'
outlines the priority areas for research funding for the
next five years and will mean the establishment of new
Portfolio Steering Groups, with representation from
patients, clinicians and researchers.
The Groups will cover the priority areas of cancer,
CHD/stroke and mental health, and there will also be a
steering group for public health. Their role will be to
provide strategic direction to help guide where money is
spent and to identify areas where targeted research is
needed.
Welcoming the strategy, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm
said:
"Research has to be at the heart of a modern health
service. It plays a vital role in helping the NHS to
continually move forward, keeping it up to date with the
latest evidence and scientific advances.
"Investing in research means investing in better care
for patients. That is why we need to ensure that spending
on research is well focused and represents the both
priorities of the NHS and the views of patients.
"A key part of tackling these priorities is
understanding underlying causes of disease and then looking
to prevent them wherever possible. CSO will continue to
support a broad range of work including trials of new
therapies and developing new tests for diagnosing medical
conditions
"But it is equally important to remember that knowledge
knows no national boundaries. That is why this strategy
proposes that we continue to work on a UK wide, and indeed
on an international basis to share the results of research
findings for the benefit of the patients throughout the
international community."
The Scottish Executive Health Department's Chief
Scientist, Professor Roland Jung, said:
"We are fortunate in Scotland to have so many
outstanding healthcare researchers. Indeed, Scotland
already attracts more than its fair share of research
funding.
"Successful research projects funded in recent years
include a study into how NHS staff can provide support to
parents coping with the loss of a very young baby, work
which won the BMA 2002 Medical Book of the Year, and a
study showing the benefits of early discharge of patients
following breast cancer operations, including faster
recovery times for some women.
"This strategy builds on these existing strengths and
gives focus to the efforts of our research professionals.
The Portfolio steering groups will make a significant
contribution to the work of CSO by helping to identify
areas where research would have the most impact."
CSO has a remit to encourage and support research, both
to improve the health of the people in Scotland and the
services provided by the NHS. It has a budget of around £47
million per annum. This money is spent both directly in
support of individuals, projects, programmes and research
Units, and indirectly by allocating money to support
research in the health service.
More basic research is supported by UK-wide funders such
as the Medical Research Council with whom CSO has a close
working relationship. CSO focuses its research activity on
more applied research which is likely to have a more direct
impact on health and health services matters.