About the role - panel members

The SDO programme identifies important questions that the NHS needs answered and then commissions the research to best meet this need. This is done either by advertising a call for proposals on specific topics, or by our researcher-led stream, where applicants can suggest an area of research within a broader scope. In both cases, the advice of an SDO panel is a vital part of the process. Membership of these panels is drawn from NHS managers through healthcare professionals and researchers, to members of the public who use NHS services. Membership consists mainly of people with an understanding of NHS needs and lay perspectives, and who are primarily users of the outputs of the SDO programme.

Members of SDO panels:

a) Panel members are expected to assess the proposed topics, commissioning briefs or applications being considered at each Panel meeting in order to contribute to general discussion of the merits of each.

b) Panel members will be asked to help the Panel decide which applications should be short-listed and which suggested topics and/or commissioning briefs should be taken forward.

c) Panel members should also contribute to refining commissioning briefs as well as rating them - eg the Panel should change proposed research questions to best match NHS needs as assessed by the panel.

The remit of panels is to advise the SDO Programme Director and the Programme Executive Group (PEG) on research priorities; to contribute to the development of Commissioning Briefs; and to provide guidance to applicants of short-listed outline proposals to assist the development of full proposals taking into account the following:

• Importance of the potential knowledge gaps to be filled
  
  
• Likelihood of filling that identified gap
  
  
• NHS wide inconsistency of or variations in service organisation or delivery
  
  
• Current evidence base
  
  
• Theoretical basis for the intervention or assessment to be made
  
  
• Possible impact on NHS managers, clinicians and service users
  
  
• Government health policy and strategy
  
  
• Work of the other NIHR Programmes

The main focus of the Panel's considerations will be the importance of potential research to the NHS. However, in addition, the Panel will consider outline applications with regard to the following:

• The clarity of the stated research objectives
  
  
• Whether the proposed study design will achieve the stated objectives in an appropriate, feasible and ethical manner
  
  
• Whether the successful completion of the study would lead to a reduction in uncertainty in that area of service delivery or organisation research
  
  
• Whether the proposed project would result in greater clarity of health-related outcomes which may affect patients or systems, and/or other benefits for the wider NHS community
  
  
• Whether the proposed team is capable of undertaking the suggested research
  
  
• Whether the requested costs and timescales are justified
  

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The Service Delivery and Organisation programme is managed by NETSCC, SDO as part of the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre at the University of Southampton
The NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation programme is funded by the NIHR, with contributions from NISCHR in Wales.