Research Design Service (RDS) London is part of the NIHR and provides help to those preparing research proposals for submission to the NIHR for applied health or social care research. With centres based at King's College London, Imperial College London, Queen Mary and University College London, it is focused on supporting applications for funding from NHS researchers and those working in partnership with the NHS. Priority is given to those applying for NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) and Programme Grant funding. Advice is provided free of charge and is available through use of online resource and consultations with experts.
NHS budgets are under considerable pressure. It is therefore unsurprising that many NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) In England will aim to prioritise price in contract awards, But this approach is a significant threat to community-centred healthcare. While competitive tendering is a legally required, an excessive focus on costs in awarding NHS contracts risks overshadowing key factors such as established community trust, local expertise, and the long-term impact on continuity of care. This shift towards cheaper, often external, commercial providers threatens to cut the links between communities and their local health services. The argument that competitive tendering is solely about legal compliance, and not cost, is undermined by the very nature of such tendering, which by design encourages the lowest bid. This approach risks eroding the social fabric of local healthcare provision, where established relationships and understanding of specific community needs are essential. Establishe...
Comments