About us
Aims and objectives of the SCRI
The SCRI is a virtual body operating across the historical boundaries of Trust and University. It integrates staff, facilities and ideas from each institution and its partner organisations to optimise efficiency, benefit from the extensive range of skills available, and maximise potential for fruitful research collaborations.
It aims to
- Promote and enable high quality clinical, translational and experimental research in all disciplines
- Support investigators through advice, training and partnership
- Encourage rapid translation of research into patient benefit
The primary objective of the SCRI is to benefit NHS patients by strengthening Southampton's position as a leading clinical research centre. It will achieve this by encouraging, enhancing and facilitating research of the highest quality.
The SCRI has been established to improve coordination and collaboration in the support provided to all our investigators. It acts as a single reference point for the many research support groups from both SUHT and UoS, and will continue the development of dedicated specialist research facilities, such as the Biomedical Research Units.
Harnessing the particular skills of each of these groups enables researchers to design, achieve funding for and implement high quality, ethical and well governed studies.
Background
Southampton University Hospitals Trust (SUHT) and the University of Southampton (UoS) have a high national and international reputation for clinical, translational and experimental research (RAE 5 2001 for hospital and lab sciences). The changing research environment offers many opportunities to strengthen this reputation.
The publication of the Department of Health's R&D Strategy in 2006, 'Best Research for Best Health' (BRfBH), has led to a reorganisation of funding and infrastructure for health research. With the withdrawal of the NHS R&D Levy, the SCRI has been established to ensure that the Trust and University are successful in accessing alternative research funds, for example from the newly established responsive funding streams from NIHR.
The nature of modern health research is increasingly complex, exploring multi-faceted problems and interventions. Together with the patient-centred emphasis of BRfBH and the new funding streams, this requires clinical researchers to be encouraged to design research studies of the highest quality. Researchers also need access to effective assistance throughout the research journey, from the inception of the research idea, to design, analysis, implementation and dissemination. Successful research draws on a wide range of methodological, governance and managerial expertise and facilities in addition to clinical research skills. In the past, although expertise and facilities are very adequately represented within SUHT and UoS, it has often been hard for investigators to find the resources they need quickly.
The SCRI is developing through reorganisation, rationalisation and clearer signposting to create a much stronger research environment in Southampton. It is fully endorsed by both SUHT and UoS management.