Information on GCP Training for Emergency Physicians and key documents from the Research and Publications Committee.
Information on GCP Training for Emergency Physicians and key documents from the Research and Publications Committee.
The NRES advice for consent in emergency care research is now published on the NRES website. This is an excellent resource – particularly the FAQ section (find this by clicking the ‘movie camera’ icon in the bottom right, then on the expanded menus click on the ‘paper clip’ icon at the bottom right). The FAQs were collected by the NIHR Injuries and Emergencies National Specialist Group from I&E researchers around the UK, so they address real world problems.
Training in Good Clinical Practice for medical research (GCP) is required for everyone who is taking any part in medical research.
The 2021 RCEM Curriculum requires evidence of active participation in research, including recruitment to clinical trials, throughout training. EM trainees are therefore encouraged to complete GCP training as early as possible on their training schemes and maintain certification until completion of training.
The previous RCEM GCP training package is now no longer recognised or accepted by many sponsors, and we are now suggesting that RCEM members complete the NIHR GCP training available here. This is the same certification required to continue involvement in research as a consultant.
The website will guide you through registering with NHS Learn or alternatively if you already have an NHS Learn account you can login directly .
You then have a choice of completing either the ‘Introduction To Good Clinical Practice (GCP) ELearning’ (if you haven’t previously completed the course) or the ‘Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Refresher ELearning’. Your NIHR GCP certificate is valid for 2 years (as opposed to a year with the previous RCEM GCP training package) and in future you can recertify through the Refresher module.
Note that for some research studies it may be possible to complete a study-specific GCP (e.g. the Recovery trial) rather than the full NIHR GCP training package. However, if you have a valid NIHR GCP certificate, it will cover you for all research studies. For those of you with existing RCEM GCP training certificates, these will remain valid until 1 August 2022, although sponsors may require additional NIHR GCP certification.
RCEM, in partnership with the James Lind Alliance (JLA), has conducted a Research Priority Setting Partnership with the aim of including patients, carers and clinicians in a process to establish the top research priorities in emergency medicine. Please see the Research Priority Setting Partnership section below.
Will give you the details of different research methodologies as applied to emergency medicine and tell you how to manage the project itself.
Will take you through each stage of an emergency medicine research project, giving advice on what you have to do to make each stage as painless as possible.
Motivate yourself with these tips.
A guide for those of you with little research experience to help get your thoughts together and point out some common pitfalls for you to avoid. Click on the below to expand the content and read our useful guidance on getting started with a research project.
+ Why do research?There are a large number of reasons why you want to do a research project. A good research project is always much more work and much harder than you initially think, it is therefore worth looking at your motives right at the beginning.
If you have been told that you have to do research or feel that you have to get some research published to pad out your CV you are unlikely to successfully complete a project (and it would be worth discussing with your trainers whether learning about critical appraisal and audit would be a better use of your time).
Remember that starting but failing to complete a project may look worse than not doing any research at all (especially as there are alternative academic areas in which you could show excellence, such as audit or BETS). However, if you motivation is a desire to know the answer to a burning question, a desire to take on the intellectual challenge of academic methods or a fascination with a particular part of Emergency Medicine – read on!
What do you want to achieve?
Be realistic about what you might achieve. For trainees the goal of your first research project (and probably the next few as well!) will be to learn about academic methods, rather than to produce information that will change the future of Emergency Medicine. At this early stage your research may be a success (in terms of your academic development), even if it does not get accepted for publication. You should bear in mind that the primary endpoint should be your personal development, however there is a satisfaction at also becoming expert in a particular field, producing original information and learning self-motivated work.
As you develop your skills in academic methods your objectives will change, and as the quality of your research improves you will start to answer larger and probably more important questions. Like anything else in medicine acquiring these skills takes time and practice.
Research and Academic Careers
Very few Emergency Medicine trainees will be intending to follow a academic career, most will become full-time NHS Consultants.
However it is not only academics that produce excellent research! A career is an awfully long time, and we all need stimulation to maintain our interest in our work. For some, research provides this additional interest. However, fitting good research into a busy NHS Career can be difficult. If you are planning to do this learning about research methodology is a good idea. Those in an academic career may have more time for research, but have additional pressure from teaching, university administration and their honorary NHS commitments.
If you are contemplating a career in academic emergency medicine talk to those who are already embarked on this pathway at an early stage (and make sure that you know a good psychiatrist!).
This section is intended for those of you who have not had much experience at running a research project. It is very, very , very (is this enough ‘very’?) important to adopt a structured approach from the beginning and get expert advice early on. This sounds simple and obvious – but you would be amazed at how many people ignore this advice in their enthusiasm to rush to designing a data collection sheet!
If you ignore this advice your project will fail – it is as simple as that.
A successful research project requires a structured and disciplined approach. There are a series of stages to go through. These have to be done in the right order – it may not be immediately obvious to you why this has to be done, and it may seem like a waste of time to give so much attention to the details of working out the question, the exact methods and the way that the data will be analysed before actually collecting data. However, if you follow this advice you are much more likely to actually complete a successful project.
This advice comes from people who have made the mistakes (see) so it is well worth following. You should have planned all stages of your project, including the analysis and presentation of results before starting data collection (as data collection comes fairly late on in the Structured Approach to research). Planning may include the collection of some pilot data. It is often a good idea to write up the project before you start data collection! This may sound odd – but it is the best way of making sure that you have undertaken a structured approach (writing a research grant application has the same effect).
First write the Introduction (for which you will need to do a literature search and formulate the research question), then write the Methods (being specific about all aspects of the research), then write the Results, leaving gaps to be filled in when you have collected the data (this will make you think about data analysis and presentation). All of this needs to be done before any data is collected!
There are a number of recurrent themes that come up when we look at why Emergency Medicine research projects fail. Projects rarely fail due to the underlying idea being bad – most failures are due to not having a structured approach, poor supervision or poor motivation.
A successful research project requires a structured and disciplined approach. There are a series of stages to go through. These have to be done in the right order – it may not be immediately obvious to you why this has to be done, and it may seem like a waste of time to give so much attention to the details of working out the question, the exact methods and the way that the data will be analysed before actually collecting data.
However, if you follow this advice you are much more likely to actually complete a successful project. This advice comes from people who have made the mistakes so it is well worth following. You should have planned all stages of your project, including the analysis and presentation of results before starting data collection (as data collection comes fairly late on in the structured approach to research).
Planning may include the collection of some pilot data. It is often a good idea to write up the project before you start data collection! This may sound odd – but it is the best way of making sure that you have undertaken a structured approach (writing a research grant application has the same effect). First write the Introduction (for which you will need to do a literature search and formulate the research question), then write the Methods (being specific about all aspects of the research), then write the Results, leaving gaps to be filled in when you have collected the data (this will make you think about data analysis and presentation). All of this needs to be done before any data is collected!
When starting to think about your project there are 10 things that you should consider from the beginning:
1. Define your research question
Research should be driven by the need to answer a question. The question should be well-defined, important and relevant. Having a well-defined question will help guide you through the many methodological problems that lie ahead. Issues such as who to study, what intervention to study, and what outcomes to measure should be determined by the research question. See our document – Defining and refining your research question.
2. Make sure your idea is original
If your idea is a good one someone else may already have thought of it. Do a reasonably thorough literature review using Medline and the Cochrane database. Also, check the National Research Register for work in progress. If someone has already investigated your idea, don’t necessarily give up. A lot of research is flawed or irrelevant to local or emergency practice. Maybe you can do it better or in a more relevant setting?
3. Draw up a research proposal
Use your well-defined research question to guide you and our document Writing a research proposal to help you. Writing a proposal is a good way of working out what difficulties you will face before they arrive.
4. Decide what methodology you should use
Your choice of method should be determined by your research question, not vice-versa. A basic introduction to the various types of research methods is available on this website. Work out what type of question you are asking and then look at the relevant document.
5. Find out what skills you will need
Research is a professional business, you need to know what you are doing if you hope to be successful. Skills can be acquired from many sources, but there is no substitute for talking to someone who has been there before. This website has some basic resources aimed at helping you to communicate effectively with experienced researchers. Use them to develop your idea and write your proposal.
6. Work out what resources you will need
All research consumes resources. Mostly it consumes your time and energy. Do not assume that either are boundless and use them wisely. Plan your project carefully then double all your estimates of the time each stage will take. Estimate your sample size and plan recruitment. Acquiring major research funding is a difficult business, but many smaller grants go unused. Ask your research office or look at our sources for funding.
7. Work out what help you will need
Doing research on your own is hard work. You can easily make mistakes without realising. Formal research supervision is the best option but very difficult to come by. Hospital and health authority research offices will be able to point you towards taught courses and the resources to fund them. University departments of epidemiology, statistics and health economics can often give up to an hour of advice without charge. Contact experienced researchers in emergency medicine or related specialities. Whatever you do, make sure you have a well-defined idea, have searched the literature and have at least attempted to write a protocol before you seek help.
8. Get ethics committee approval
Always consider the need for ethics committee approval. Even retrospective case note review carries issues of consent and confidentiality. Projects that do not directly involve patient contact (e.g. case note review) will usually be approved by Chairman’s action, without full committee review. Any project involving patient contact, even to simply complete a questionnaire, will require ethics committee approval. See our document on How to get ethics committee approval.
9. Establish proper research governance
Things can go wrong in research- adverse events can occur, data may be lost, patients or staff may complain or results may be flawed. Just as with clinical practice, make sure you have the skills to manage your project, the supervision you require and everyone understands who will carry the can if it all goes pear-shaped. Ensure that you know what you are responsible for and who you are accountable to. See the Department of Health guidance on research governance.
10. Pilot or die
No matter how carefully you have planned your research you will almost certainly have overlooked something. The only way to find out is to get out there and start doing your research – and then stop before you waste too much time. Analyse the data you have collected so far. You will almost certainly find out something very important that you wish to change in your protocol. Nobody ever regrets pilot work.
There are a number of websites that give information about research methodology. These pages aim to point out specific aspects that are particular relevant to emergency medicine research and to give you links to articles that we think are worth reading. However, although reading about specific methodologies is important, it is also vital for you to get advice from someone who is experienced in research using that particular methodology.
There is a large amount of information and a large number of sources of knowledge and advice about research methods, many of which are now on the Internet. These pages link the College web site to other sources of information and provide a list of further reading.
Read our quick guide on conducting surveys.
These pages list a variety of web based resources that may be helpful in developing your research project. Many are cited in the supporting documents to this site. Web based resources are constantly changing and many new resources appear. Please let us know of any useful resources that you find. Please let us know if the links no longer work.
+ GeneralResearch Methods Knowledge Base (William M Trochim, Cornell University)
Public Engagement: A Practical Guide
Taught courses in research methods vary from one day courses providing an introduction to statistics or qualitative methods, to Masters degree courses in Health Services Research. These courses usually cover quantitative and qualitative design and analysis, health economics, epidemiology and statistics, systematic reviews and critical appraisal. They provide a good general grounding in research methods for anyone interested in pursuing an academic career.
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Masters courses in Epidemiology or Health Services/Systems Research. The Masters in Epidemiology is available by distance learning.
Bristol University Department of Social Medicine
Short courses (2 to 5 days) in research methods, statistics, health economics and qualitative research.
University College London Research Methods for Health Professional
One year course in quantitative and qualitative research methods aimed at junior doctors.
The Masters in Health Services Research– takes one year full-time or two years part-time.
University of Leeds – the MA in Health Service Studies (Research) is a one year full-time, or two years part-time, Masters course in health services research methods.
Research in Health Care. Crombie I K & Davies H T O. John Wiley and sons.
An excellent introduction to research methodology. Well worth reading before you commence any research project.
Clinical Epidemiology: A Basic Science for Clinical Medicine. Sackett D L, Haynes R B, Guyatt, G H & Tugwell P. Little, Brown and Company.
The ‘bible’ of evidence based medicine. A good way to ensure your research is favourably appraised is to understand critical appraisal before you start.
Epidemiology in Medicine. Hennekens CH, Buring JE. Little, Brown and Co.
Basic epidemiological principals lie behind a proper understanding of research methods. This is a good, readable book to remind/familiarize you with the key issues.
Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes. Drummond M F, O’Brien B, Stoddart G L & Torrance G W. Oxford Medical Publications.
Essential reading for anyone contemplating an economic evaluation. Also useful if you want to understand what health economists are talking about.
Randomised controlled trials. Jadad A. BMJ Books.
A very readable book covering the key issues that need to be considered by anyone undertaking, or wishing to understand, a randomised controlled trial.
Medical statistics: A Commonsense Approach. Campbell M J & Machin D. John Wiley and sons.
Statistics are sometimes seen as just a p value and a funny sounding test that gives credibility to your study. This book explains the many valuable ways that an understanding of statistics can improve the validity of your research.
Practical Statistics for Medical Research. Altman D G. Chapman & Hall.
A more detailed statistical text yet starting from an assumption of little statistical knowledge.
Statistics with Confidence. Altman D G, Machin D, Bryant T N & Gardner M J. BMJ Books.
Medical journals are encouraging researchers to move away from hypothesis testing, with p values, and towards estimation, with confidence intervals. This book provides the explanations and simplifies the process by including some simple to use computer software.
Health Services Research Methods: A Guide to Best Practice. Black N, Brazier J, Fitzpatrick R & Reeves B (Eds.) BMJ Books.
An advanced text relating to recent advances in research methodology.
How to Write a Paper. Hall G M (Ed.). BMJ Books.
Written by a variety of authors who have published research or been involved in the editorial process. Even if you don’t agree with what they say, you would be wise to take note if you want your research to be published.
Qualitative Research in Health Care. Mays N & Pope C. BMJ Books.
A concise introduction to qualitative research containing papers originally published in the BMJ.
Applications are invited from all College members and fellows for the Autumn 2022 RCEM Research Grants.
Grant application forms can be downloaded from here and a guidance document found here. For advice on writing a grant application see www.mrc.ac.uk and the following headings should be used:
Applications will be rated according to the quality of science, the relevance to Emergency Medicine, the potential for academic development of the lead applicant, deliverability and the likelihood that the work will lead to future research funding.
Successful applicants will be expected to produce a short report in the approved format on the progress of the project every 12 months and may also be invited to present their work at the RCEM Annual Scientific Conference.
Applications are particularly welcome from trainees, specialty doctors, consultants within 5 years of CCT and consultants without an established research background who wish to develop an academic portfolio.
The lead applicant must a member or fellow of the College. A team-based approach with strong EM leadership is encouraged. Appropriate commercial and non-commercial partnerships are welcome.
These grants are potentially eligible for inclusion on the UKCRN Portfolio and for support from your local clinical research network. Preference will be given to applicants who submit projects likely to lead to UKCRN Portfolio adoption.
Applications are particularly welcome around the theme of wellbeing and mental health. These applications will be considered for RCEM Foundation grant funding alongside being considered for funding through the main research grants call.
Please send your application along with a copy of your CV to the College office or via email to Theo.Chiles@rcem.ac.uk
Deadline: 5pm Friday 23 September 2022
For further information regarding the application process please contact:
Theo Chiles, RCEM research committee administration email: Theo.Chiles@rcem.ac.uk
Matt Reed, RCEM Professor, email: matthew.reed@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Applications are invited for RCEM grants to undertake emergency medicine research in low income countries. The RCEM encourages applications up to £5,000 for a research application focused on improving the delivery of emergency medicine in low income countries. Applicants must:
For advice on writing a grant application see mrc.ukri.org/
Papers deriving from any successful LMIC grant will be guaranteed peer review if submitted to the Emergency Medicine Journal – please flag any submissions to Dr Jafar. Leading up to any such submissions, we are working to develop a pool of mentors who can offer writing support in order to give the best possible chance of favourable review
The following headings should be used:
Purpose and Background – what is already known in this area and an outline of the value the research will bring to emergency medicine.
A Plan of investigation which should include:
Applications are rated according to the quality of science, the importance of the underlying research program, the strength and value of the collaboration with Members and Fellows of the College of Emergency Medicine and contextual relevance. Due regard is given to the relative wealth of the country or countries in which the research will be carried out and the findings acted upon.
Successful applicants are expected to produce a short report in the approved format on the progress of the project every 12 months for the first 2 years of the award, and may also be invited to present the findings of the study at our Annual Scientific Conference up to 3 years after the award
*if no-one in your team is currently a member or fellow of RCEM but you have an interesting/important research idea in emergency medicine, please take a look at colleagues in the NIHR Incubator for Emergency Care who may be able to help support as a co-applicant or link you to further colleagues for this or future submissions
Please send your application along with a copy of your CV to Theo.Chiles@rcem.ac.uk by 17:00 on Friday 08 July 2022.
For an application form please click here.
For further information about the grant please contact:
Anisa Jafar, NIHR ACL and ST6 in Emergency Medicine on behalf of the Research & Publications Committee,
Royal College of Emergency Medicine HCRI,
University of Manchester,
Ellen Wilkinson Building,
Oxford Road,
M13 9PL.
anisa.jafar@manchester.ac.uk
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) is launching the next round of the RCEM PhD Fellowship Scheme. Applications are invited from trainees in Emergency Medicine (EM) from CT1 and above, who wish to develop academically. The scheme aims to support the development of research capacity to improve emergency health care. This scheme will fund Fellowships to undertake research involving patients, samples or data from patients, people who are not patients, populations, health technology assessment and health services research. The RCEM does not fund research work involving animals and/or animal tissue.
Potential applicants and their host organisations should note that the RCEM PhD Fellowship Scheme is a personal award designed to contribute to an individual’s salary costs (the remainder being provided by the applicant’s supporting consortia) on completion of the PhD research project.
The Doctoral Research Fellowship (RCEM-DRF-Policy) is aimed at individuals of outstanding potential, early in their research careers. It aims to fast-track them through a customised research training programme in an environment reflecting their individual talents and training needs. It is anticipated that successful applicants would become independent research leaders within 6 to 10 years of completing the RCEM-DRF award.
Following completion of a RCEM-DRF, the Fellows are expected to have successfully completed a robust research and training programme and be able to show evidence of:
Evidence of the above will be sought through interim and final report monitoring.
Research projects undertaken as part of a RCEM Fellowship will be included on the NIHR portfolio. Local Research Design Service (RDS) support should be available for all NIHR portfolio project research proposals.
A. Directly Incurred Costs
B. For NHS Organisations
RCEM awards will be eligible for inclusion on the NIHR portfolio and for CLRN funding. This training scheme is recognised by the NIHR Dean for Training.
The Fellowship does not include, or pay for, any activities other than the research and training proposed in a successful application.
The remaining costs of the PhD fellowship must be met by a consortia which can include Deaneries, Universities, NHS Trusts and Comprehensive Research Networks. See section 8.
Fellowships will be awarded based on open competition. Applications must be received by Friday 21 January 2022; interviews will be held in late January / early February 2022.
All documents must be submitted in English.
Fellowships should begin between February and September 2022 and cannot normally be deferred.
05 November 2021 – Advert open
21 January 2022 – Closing date (17:00) for submissions
24 January 2022 (W/C) – Shortlisting by Panel
January/February 2022 – Interviews and decision to award (date TBC)
September 2022 – Latest date to begin award
Applicants are asked to keep the interview dates available to attend for interview in London.
Please send your application along with a copy of your CV to theo.chiles@rcem.ac.uk by 17:00 Friday 21 January 2022.
(Application deadline 14 January 2022)
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) is launching the second round of the RCEM TERN Fellowship scheme. This scheme will fund 50% of the successful applicant’s time over a two year period subject to progress.
Applications are invited from trainees or clinical fellows in Emergency Medicine at ≥ST3 level or equivalent who wish to develop this exciting project, with academic support and mentorship from the previous TERN fellow, college professors and the RCEM research committee.
TERN aims to improve research opportunity for all trainees, advanced practitioners and fellows in emergency medicine by facilitating multicentre research projects selected and designed by trainees. Such networks have been hugely successful in the allied specialties of anaesthesia, neurosurgery and general surgery leading to increased research awareness, improved academic training, co-authored publications and changes to clinical practice 1-3. Network projects present a strong opportunity for both academic and non-academic trainees to engage with national research, thus maximising output and impact from non-clinical time. Although still a relatively new network, TERN has already delivered several trainee conceived and designed national portfolio-adopted projects across over a hundred UK sites; successfully collaborated with Australasian colleagues to deliver an international headache project; secured NIHR partner funding for a 2022 research study on a JLA priority topic; and has published a number of articles on our work.
This fellowship scheme supports TERN through dedicated funding to support project development, co-ordination and delivery. Academic mentorship for the project and fellowship will be provided throughout the post by the RCEM Professors and local supervisors. Assistance with infrastructure, meeting rooms, communications and networking will be provided through use of the RCEM facilities and a modest dedicated budget line.
This scheme is an ideal opportunity for those who have a desire to engage with academic emergency medicine and consider development of a portfolio career. The role will offer significant exposure to project development and delivery, including liaison with research design services, ethics committees, research and development services and use of the IRAS platform. Previous research experience in these areas would be advantageous, but is not essential. Applicants could take up this role either on a Less than Full Time training basis, or as a dedicated and prearranged OOPFR placement.
Potential applicants and their host organisations should note that the RCEM TERN Fellowship Scheme is a personal award designed to contribute 50% of an individual’s base salary costs (the remainder being provided by the applicant’s supporting consortia).
Following completion of the Fellowship, the successful applicant is expected to have designed and delivered at least one clinical research study through the national TERN network, and significantly enhanced the visibility and co-ordination of TERN. Additional goals considered may include the following:
Evidence of the above will be sought through interim and final report monitoring. Support for formal research training will be considered during the fellowship in line with individual commitment and career trajectory.
Research projects undertaken as part of TERN will be included on the NIHR portfolio. Local Research Design Services (RDS) http://www.nihr.ac.uk/infrastructure support all NIHR portfolio project research proposals. In addition, NIHR portfolio adoption will facilitate the engagement of clinical research nursing teams based in every hospital to assist with data collection, research governance and oversight.
Eligibility
Scope
Application Procedure
Fellowships will be made based on open competition. A single fellowship is offered in this round.
Applications must be received by 14th January 2022; interviews will be held towards the beginning of February following peer review and scoring. The successful applicant is expected to commence the post from August 2022.
All documents must be submitted in English.
Timetable
09th NOVEMBER 2021 Advert open
14th JANUARY 2022 Closing date (17:00) for submissions
17th JANUARY 2022 (W/C) Shortlisting by Panel
FEBRUARY 2022 Interviews and decision to award (date TBC)
AUGUST 2022 Post commences
Interviews will be held in London at College buildings. Successfully shortlisted applicants will be notified as soon as feasible
To apply, please send your CV with a covering letter highlighting how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the post to theo.chiles@rcem.ac.uk by 17:00 Friday 14th January 2022
References:
(i) Essential Criteria
| Criterion | Assessed by |
| Current appointment as a trainee or clinical fellow in Emergency Medicine in UK or Republic of Ireland (RofI). | CV /College Data |
| Commitment to the specialty of Emergency Medicine, demonstrated through career path, continuing professional development and examination. | CV |
| Enthusiasm for project development and delivery | CV +/- interview |
| Evidence of sustainability planning for the duration of the project (Out of program time prearranged, or trust clinical fellow role secured) * | CV +/- interview |
| Criterion | Assessed by |
| Previous relevant committee experience, either through RCEM or EMTA | CV +/- interview |
| Critical Appraisal Examination training, and/or success by examination | CV |
| Higher qualification in research or education (MSc or equivalent) | CV |
| Familiarity with social-media based communication, engagement and knowledge translation strategies | CV +/- interview |
| Evidence of team co-ordination and leadership within clinical role, organisational role within trust or external role | CV +/- interview |
| Evidence of prior academic writing (through publication, presentation, abstract writing, blog posting or local project) | CV +/- interview |
| Evidence of national trainee liaison roles | CV +/- interview |
| Evidence of previous research engagement or activity (such as research governance training, good clinical practice training and/or formal research design/delivery) | CV +/- interview |
* A letter signed by the applicant’s Educational Supervisor and local training program director should be provided in support of these criteria where relevant.
RCEM surveys on specific issues can be found on this page. Surveys from other organisations can be published here with the approval of the College Executive. If you would like your survey to be advertised here, please read this guidance and e-mail your request to theo.chiles@rcem.ac.uk
SARS-CoV-2 screening practices in A&E departments across the United Kingdom
We are now approaching two years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The accuracy and speed at which COVID-19 is diagnosed in patients newly admitted to hospital has a wide impact on patient safety, management, and flow. Several rapid tests have now been designed to help diagnosis and triage patients who have COVID-19 or may be at risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 to others. How rapid tests are used in different hospitals is not clear. Knowledge of how others are screening for SARS-CoV-2 will help optimise practices nationally.
This service evaluation aims to determine how A&E departments across the UK are screening for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viral pathogens.
The survey can be completed here: https://forms.gle/pcE145Sd4TQXMgrFA
In January 2017 the JLA Emergency Medicine Priority Setting Partnership (EM PSP) published its list of research priorities, providing guidance on the research, learning and development in the field of emergency medicine. Since then, our world and the landscape of emergency medicine have changed significantly, and some of the original priorities have been addressed through funded research studies.
We’re excited to share that after the success of the original PSP, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine would like to refresh the Emergency Medicine research priorities for the next five years to ensure that priorities are current and representative of today’s patients, carers, and clinicians.
Why is this important?
Emergency Medicine is a broad, dynamic subject area and includes a variety of different medical areas such as acute medical emergencies, minor illness and injury, major trauma, acute mental health problems and the management of elderly patients with complex co-morbidities and social problems (not to mention the current challenges posed by COVID-19). Defining research priorities for such a diverse speciality and large potential patient base is a significant but rewarding challenge, driving innovation in the field. What’s more the EM PSP refresh will help to connect researchers and funders with real world experience. To do this we will need your help..
How can you get involved?
There are two key ways you can get involved:
To tell us your priorities, please go to https://bit.ly/JLAEMsurvey
For further information or to get involved please email Daisy Harmer and Theo Chiles at jlaempsp@rcem.ac.uk.
To check out the original EM PSP please see below.
About the James Lind Alliance
The James Lind Alliance (JLA) is a not for profit organisation, working to bring patients, carers and clinicians together in Priority Setting Partnerships (PSP) to identify and prioritise the Top 10 unanswered questions or evidence uncertainties that they agree are the most important.
This is our second time around collaborating with the JLA, and we’re delighted to be partnering with them again.
You can find out more about the JLA here, and you can find the EM PSP here
Download this poster here.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, in partnership with the James Lind Alliance (JLA), has conducted a Research Priority Setting Partnership from September 2015 to January 2017 with the aim of including patients, carers and clinicians in a process to establish the research priorities in emergency medicine.
We have identifying unanswered research questions within emergency medicine (EM), ranked them in order of priority. The final output from the PSP is a ‘top ten’ of EM research priorities. Jason Smith as College Professor, has lead the process, but wider engagement was sought from clinicians of all levels (including doctors and nurses), patients, carers and the public. Richard Morley, a James Lind Alliance Adviser, acted as the independent chair of the Steering Group, and in this capacity guided the process and ensure fairness and transparency. Sam McIntyre, RCEM’s Quality Manager, ran the project day-to-day.
It has involved over 200 research questions, almost 100 mini-systematic reviews, a long list of 72 questions (which were prioritised by over 500 people), a shortlist of 30, and finally a top 10 research priorities for emergency medicine.
We thank the hundreds of patients, their families, clinicians who work in emergency departments and everyone else who has contributed to this journey. Thank you for sharing your ideas and views with us – together we are shaping the future of emergency medicine.
The final workshop was held in Manchester on 19 January 2017 and involved patients, the public, clinicians, the James Lind Alliance and RCEM.
At the final workshop we worked in small teams to determine the definitive Top 10 Emergency Medicine research priorities. This was an absolutely fascinating day full of interaction, lively debates, stimulating discussions and brilliant people. We worked together to boil down the top 30 priorities – as voted for by the EM community, healthcare professionals, patients, researchers and the public – to find the top 10.
Workshop objectives
Publications, articles and news stories about the emergency medicine research priority setting partnership:
An Emergency Medicine Research Priority Setting Partnership to establish the top 10 research priorities in emergency medicine – EMJ (4 May 2017)
Here’s the top 10 (and more) research priorities in EM. James Lind & St.Emlyn’s (23 Jan 2017)
Setting research priorities in emergency care – Nursing times (25 Jan 2016)
Emergency Medicine Research Priority Setting Partnership – Cochrane UK
The emergency medicine research priority setting partnership – EMJ (29 Sept 2015)
Emergency Medicine PSP– James Lind Alliance
James Lind and the RCEM needs you (and you, and you) – St.Emlyn’s
Research Priority Setting: The Royal College Of Emergency Medicine, In Partnership With The James Lind Alliance (JLA) – NIHR CLAHRC Yorkshire & Humber
Nurses’ opinions matter and they should be heard: How you can help influence research – Nursing Times (18 Dec 2015)
James Lind and the RCEM needs you (and you, and you). St.Emlyn’s (23 Oct 2015)
The JLA is an organisation supported by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre in Southampton, and they bring together clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders in partnership to set research priorities. They aim to identify unanswered questions within a specialty, and rank them in order of priority, with the final output from the PSP being a ‘top ten’ of research priorities for that given area. The advantage of the JLA is that they provide a framework, with a reproducible process, and advisers who guide the process along the way. They are recognised by large grant-awarding bodies as the gold standard in research prioritisation. If you are applying for a research grant, and can map your application to one of the research priorities, then this adds considerable weight to the application. In 2013 a paediatric emergency medicine PSP was undertaken.
The College's Clinical Studies Group runs various awards throughout the year. Details of awards and competitions can be found below, along with details on how to enter.
+ EM Undergraduate Essay Prize 2022RCEM Emergency Medicine Undergraduate Essay Prizes 2022: Advert
This year RCEM are pleased to announce two categories of prize:
Prizes include:
Applications are invited for the 2022 Royal College of Emergency Medicine Undergraduate Prizes. Applicants are required to be a medical student at a recognised teaching institution within the UK but are not required to be a member of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. There will be two prizes awarded and the value of each prize will be £500.
The RCEM Undergraduate Essay Prize winners 2022 will be required to present their work at the RCEM Scientific Conference 2022 which will take place in Belfast from October 4-6th 2022. The prizes will in addition fund the winner’s reasonable travel, accommodation and registration fee for the RCEM Scientific Conference 2022 and a one year membership of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
The essays should describe original Emergency Medicine research or quality improvement. This work should not previously have been published in a journal or presented at a major UK/international conference and with a clear applicability to EM. Each essay has a word limit of 1500 words including any tables, figures and headings entrants will be penalized for submissions in excess of this. Up to 2 figures/tables are allowed.
Essays must avoid any reference to any institution or anything that may reveal the author’s identity. Only one applicant can be considered per submission and applicants are not permitted to submit to both categories. The winning submission will also be considered for publication in the Emergency Medicine Journal.
Applicants must have played an important part in the relevant research/quality improvement and must have personally written the submitted work. The Awards will be determined by the Research & Publications Committee of the College of Emergency Medicine, with or without the advice of external assessors.
Applications along with a completed application form which both must be written in English should be submitted in Microsoft Word format electronically to Theo.Chiles@rcem.ac.uk by 17:00 Friday 25th February 2022.
For more information, contact:
Research Essay Prize
Dr Matt Reed, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Edinburgh on 0131 242 1340 or matthew.reed@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Quality Improvement Essay Prize
Dr Edd Carlton, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Bristol on 0117 414 4985 or Ed.Carlton@nbt.nhs.uk
Application Form – available here.
Do you have a fantastic research idea you are struggling to get off the ground? This section of the clinical studies group meeting is open to all clinicians or researchers to pitch a research idea (10 slides or equivalent) to the meeting. There will be open critique and review from ED research experts and advice on potential funding streams.
We invite applicants to consider the James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership when submitting their ideas. Other research ideas are welcome for open peer and professional review.
Please submit your research on a single page in PICO format:
The closing date for submission of abstracts is 23:59 on Thursday 31 October. All abstracts will be reviewed, and the top scoring ones will be shortlisted for oral presentation. Applicants will be informed about the decision on their before the Emergency Medicine Research Engagement Day which is to be confirmed.
All submission forms will be discarded 3 months after the event date. The information supplied in this form will be shared with judges. Your name and email address will be kept on record for 3 years so we can contact you about the outcome of this submission and when future opportunities to submit abstracts arise. Should you wish to remove your details from our database, please email events@rcem.ac.uk
Emergency Medicine Research Engagement Day (on behalf of the Clinical Studies Group)
Date: TBC
Price: TBC
Programme: TBC
Abstracts: the call for abstracts opening to be confirmed. This will include applications for the Principal Investigator of the Year, Young Investigator of the Year and Blue Sky Ideas.
Registration: registration opening to be confirmed. Please click here to register your interest.
One of the principle remits of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) is to advance education and research in Emergency Medicine. The Research & Publications Committee is chaired by Professor Alasdair Gray. Its remit includes research, publications and the administration of academic awards and prizes. The RCEM Clinical Studies Group was formed by the Research & Publications Committee in 2014 and makes annual awards to recognise outstanding contributions of RCEM Members and Fellows to research in Emergency Medicine.
Since its inception in 2006, the NIHR has significantly increased the scale of clinical research in the NHS, particularly through the Clinical Research Network. The enthusiastic engagement of NHS clinicians is an essential condition for sustaining and building on this success, particularly given the many competing demands on clinician time and resources. These co-branded awards will recognise outstanding contributions of NHS consultants and trainees in the conduct of clinical research in the field of Emergency Medicine. The ‘award winners 2019-20’ will be recognised by the award of a plaque and a certificate.
The winner(s) of the Young Investigator award will also be eligible for a modest financial award, which must be invested in the award holder’s future research. In addition, up to three applicants for each scheme will be named ‘outstanding contributors 2023-24′. The award winners and outstanding contributors will be asked to present a summary of their contributions to research at the Emergency Medicine Research Engagement Day. Applicants will be required to confirm that they are available to attend and make a short presentation. On top of this, the Trainee Emergency Research Network (TERN) is committed to demystifying and supporting Trainees to do research. We are therefore very excited to announce the TERN will offer the 2019-20 RCEM’s Young Investigator the opportunity to use the network to grow and share their research.
The award is open to both junior doctors who are pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine and consultants in Emergency Medicine who are within 5 years of obtaining their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). For junior doctors who do not currently hold a National Training Number in Emergency Medicine, the panel will look for evidence of commitment to pursuing a career in the specialty.
The award will be made based on the following criteria:
Awards will be made at the discretion of the judging panel.
For further information, please contact Holly Lyons at events@rcem.ac.uk.
One of the principle remits of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) is to advance education and research in Emergency Medicine. The Research & Publications Committee is chaired by Professor Alasdair Gray. Its remit includes research, publications and the administration of academic awards and prizes. The RCEM Clinical Studies Group was formed by the Research & Publications Committee in 2014 and makes annual awards to recognise outstanding contributions of RCEM Members and Fellows to research in Emergency Medicine.
Since its inception in 2006, the NIHR has significantly increased the scale of clinical research in the NHS, particularly through the Clinical Research Network. The enthusiastic engagement of NHS clinicians is an essential condition for sustaining and building on this success, particularly given the many competing demands on clinician time and resources. These co-branded awards will recognise outstanding contributions of NHS consultants and trainees in the conduct of clinical research in the field of Emergency Medicine. The ‘award winners 2023-24’ will be recognised by the award of a plaque and a certificate.
The winner(s) will also be eligible for a modest financial award, which must be invested in the award holder’s future research. In addition, up to three applicants for each scheme will be named ‘outstanding contributors 2023-24’. The award winners and outstanding contributors will be asked to present a summary of their contributions to research at the Emergency Medicine Research Engagement Day. Applicants will be required to confirm that they are available to attend and make a short presentation. On top of this, the Trainee Emergency Research Network (TERN) is committed to demystifying and supporting Trainees to do research. We are therefore very excited to announce the TERN will offer the 2022 RCEM’s Young Investigator the opportunity to use the network to grow and share their research.
Applicants must be Members or Fellows of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. The awards are designed to recognise the contribution of research active clinicians rather than those who are already career clinical academics. Therefore, Members and Fellows who hold a substantive academic university appointment or an externally funded academic fellowship will not be eligible for this award.
The award will be made based on the candidate’s contribution to Emergency Medicine research in the United Kingdom over the previous 12 months, including:
For further information, please contact Holly Lyons at events@rcem.ac.uk.
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