Public Health in NHS reasearch spotlight

News release from the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment

12 July 2006

The NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme is inviting proposals for research into some of the most pressing public health issues facing the NHS. Topics advertised include ways to promote physical activity in the over 65s; research to investigate interventions that help prevent relapse in smoking cessation; the effectiveness of Vitamin D in reducing falls in people in residential care; the pros and cons of different dental recall intervals; and the best ways to promote breastfeeding in special care and neonatal intensive care units . To view the full list of topics visit the HTA programme website at www.hta.ac.uk/calls

Through its new Disease Prevention Panel, which prioritised the advertised topics, the HTA programme is looking to commission a portfolio of research into the value of health technologies designed to promote health, prevent disease and reduce health inequalities.

The panel is also keen to receive suggestions for more HTA research topics from public health staff of all backgrounds, to help the programme commission further research in these important areas. To help shape the HTA programme's agenda, you can suggest a topic for research via the HTA website.

Notes:

  1. The HTA Disease Prevention Panel was set up in response to the ‘Choosing Health' white paper. For more information visit the HTA programme website www.hta.ac.uk/about/panels

  2. Submissions must reach the HTA offices by Wednesday 6 September 2006, before 1 pm, for consideration by the HTA Commissioning Board at its November 2006 meeting. The proposal application form, commissioning briefs and associated guidance notes are available on the funding pages of the website www.hta.ac.uk/funding 

  3. To help shape the HTA programme's agenda, suggest a topic for research via the HTA website www.hta.ac.uk/suggest.

  4. For more information about how HTA research topics are handled visit www.hta.ac.uk/about 

Notes for editors


  1. The HTA programme is a programme of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and produces high quality research information about the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. It is the largest of the NIHR programmes and publishes the results of its research in the Health Technology Assessment journal, with more than 400 issues published to date. The journal’s 2007 Impact Factor (3.87) ranked it in the top 10% of medical and health-related journals. All issues are available for download free of charge from the website, www.hta.ac.uk The HTA programme is coordinated by the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment (NCCHTA), based at the University of Southampton.
  2. The National Institute for Health Research provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility.  The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training.  Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. www.nihr.ac.uk

Contact details

Naomi Stockley, Programme Manager (Communications)
Telephone: 02380 595 646, Email: ns5@soton.ac.uk

Helen Nikandrou, Assistant Programme Manager (Communications)
Telephone: 02380 595 584, Email: h.nikandrou@soton.ac.uk

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