CLAHRC-LNR is one of nine CLAHRCS that were established in October 2008.  They were set up to address the "second gap in translation" identified in Sir David Cooksey's Review of UK Health Research. Their main objective, as described by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), is to develop an innovative model for conducting applied health research and translating research findings into improved outcomes for patients.

The first gap in translation relates to the process of taking ideas developed either by scientists working in the laboratory, or by clinician-scientists working in a clinical environment, and developing them into products that can either be commercialised or disseminated in some other way into wider healthcare practice.

The second gap is between the evaluation of new interventions and the embedding of the new intervention in clinical practice. The CLAHRC is concerned with the second translation gap, that is, getting new, effective ways of improving health into routine use.

Each CLAHRC has been set up to improve services and outcomes for patients by conducting high quality applied health research within their area. Each of the CLAHRCs has a specific research agenda in mind and has identified different methodologies to enable them address this.  However, all CLAHRCs collaborate with, share information with and peer review for each other.

CLAHRC-LNR was awarded £10 million by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to establish a five year pilot CLAHRC across Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.  This will be match funded by a number of other sources throughout LNR including the University of Leicester, the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery and the eight NHS trusts that operate within the area.

• Help organisations carry out better and more relevant research to enable the health of people living in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland (LNR) to be improved.
• Allow the research agenda to be set by healthcare workers, patients and the public.
• Ensure that research priorities are in line with real healthcare issues currently affecting the LNR population.
• Support organisations to develop and undertake research projects to help improve quality of care.
• Promote the use of evidence in practice and bridge the research/practice gap.
• Evaluate change and implementation within healthcare organisations.
• Help staff to gain the skills to undertake evidence based practice and research.
• Ensure that all improvements are patient centred.

Patient and Public Involvement is about giving people the chance to get involved in improving their local health services by offering their views about issues such as services and making recommendations for changes in the future.  This involvement can happen in 3 ways:

• Consultation – providing help and advice on questionnaires etc.
• Collaborative – helping to develop research methodology by providing feedback and making changes based on the information received.
• User Controlled – Service users completely control the project and advise researchers/clinicians on how the project should be carried out. 

There is growing evidence for the benefits of involving patients and the public in research. These include:

• People who use health services are able to offer different perspectives and these can help to ensure that research of relevance and importance is prioritised.
• PPI can help with the identification of outcome measures that are important to users of services and the public.
• Effective PPI can support the recruitment of people to participate in research, including those from otherwise hard to reach communities.
• Enthusiastic involvement can ensure effective dissemination of research results to a wider audience.
• PPI involvement in the promotion of successful research outcomes can help to ensure that changes are implemented.

If you have a question you would like answered please contact General Enquiries