IDDT registered as a charity in 1994 and it aims to help and support people with diabetes. It is run by people that live with diabetes for people that live with diabetes and as such, IDDT has always declined to accept any funding from the pharmaceutical industry. The Trustees have always believed that if drug companies are allowed to fund research, they have the potential to influence the balance and publication bias of research. For this reason the amount of money the Trust has to fund research projects is fairly limited but the Trust has grown and is now in a position to consider awarding research grants. Initially, we are prepared to consider applications for research in the area of primary care up to £10,000 for any one project but is happy to consider joint funding.

The Trust would not wish to interfere in any way with the publication of the research, if the applicants wish to do so.

Application Procedure
For simplicity and speed, the Trust has four levels of procedure for applying for funding from its Research Fund. These are as follows:

Stage 1
Submission of an interim research application questionnaire (IQ) by the applicant. The IQ will be sent to all interested applicants on request.

The purpose of the IQ is so that it is simple and quick to fill in for the applicant. This should help to stop busy people wasting unnecessary time drafting a full application for research funding when their research field is outside the boundaries of the Trust’s "patient centred" areas of interest.

Stage 2
If the IQ is approved by the Trust’s research group, then the applicant will be invited to submit a full research application. However, we do suggest that the applicant considers Stage 3 carefully before deciding whether to continue with a full research application. i.e. Stage 4

Stage 3
Before submitting a full research application, the Trust suggests that applicants carefully consider what potential benefits the research could have for the average every day diabetic patient (if there is such a thing!).

The Trust is not against any research that might question generally accepted principals in diabetes care, providing it is reasonable and does not potentially put patients’ health or wellbeing at risk.

The Trust would particularly support new ways of thinking and treating diabetes especially when consumer input and consumer experience is put as a key aspect of the research. Learning from patient experiences and patient experts was one of the main reasons the Trust had to be started up to 10 years ago.

Stage 4
Submission of the full research application If approved may be paid in stages and may be conditional.

A full research application should include:

1. Why the research is needed.
2. Aims of the research.
3. Proposed method.
4. Proposed analysis.
5. The amount of consumer involvement.
6. Estimated cost.
7. Size of the research grant requested and details of other funding received or applied for.
8. Ethics committee approval if appropriate.
9. Any areas of potential interests or conflicts of interest.

For application forms please contact:
Beverley Sharpe
Research Co-ordinator
IDDT
PO Box 294
Northampton
NN1 4XS
Tel 01604 622837 or
mailto:bev@iddtinternatonal.org

Grant Applications Awarded

December 2001

National Service Framework for Diabetes – the effects of policy changes in quality, access and outcomes of care for patients with diabetes.

Applicants: Dr Julia Hipisley-Cox, Professor Mike Pringle

Aims:

• To establish baseline data for the quality of care for a cohort of patients with diabetes in primary care co-incident with the publication of the NSF for Diabetes in 2001 and to document changes in the quality of care over a period of 12 months.
• To determine the patients’ views on the care they receive – its quality, timeliness, co-ordination including any deficiencies and suggestions for improvement.
• To determine any inequalities in the quality of care between and within general practices according to age, sex deprivation or ethnicity.

Grant awarded – this study has already been funded for 2 years by Trent NHS Executive R&D but the delay in the publication of the NSF for Diabetes means that an extension of the study is required. IDDT has agreed to provide additional funding of £8,500.