Epilepsy Research UK Launches Urgent Research Call

The coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has caused rapid changes in the way people with epilepsy are able to manage their condition and how health services are able to provide support for assessment, diagnosis and treatment. The use of technology and remote consultations during routine and emergency care has accelerated at a pace never seen before. It is anticipated that as time progresses there will be an increase in the number of options available for delivering and receiving healthcare.

Epilepsy Research UK (ERUK) is issuing an urgent call for health services research that will generate high-quality evidence that informs the future delivery, quality, cost, or access of care for people with epilepsy. The call places people with epilepsy at its heart, and proposals must consider the acceptability of innovations and delivering outcomes that have been identified by people with epilepsy.

Applications are welcomed for health services research in service delivery, self-management, and personalising services, although other areas of need may be identified by applicants. ERUK would like to receive proposals that are evaluating innovations, technologies or services that are ‘live’ in the real world or would be soon rapidly deployed.

Studies should include seek to include public and patient involvement in appropriate stages of the research programme. Funded projects are expected to have outcomes that can help to inform the experiences of care and services that people with epilepsy receive within the lifetime or shortly after of the grant. This research call is not directly related to COVID-19 or its impact of services for which there are other funding sources.

Applicants must be a graduate in medicine, one of the sciences allied to medicine or a related subject. The Principal Investigator should be resident in the UK and an employee of a UK-based university, NHS institution or other recognised higher research institutions.

An individual researcher may be named on a maximum of two proposals. This can either be as a principal investigator on one and co-applicant on another, or co-applicant on both. Inclusion of co-applicants or collaborators from other sectors; for instance, local authority, third sector, industry is permitted.

Application are invited for up to 18 months duration, to a maximum of £50,000 per application. ERUK anticipates making up to four awards.

Preliminary application forms should be submitted by the 12 August 2020 (16:00) deadline.

Successful projects will be announced at the end of September 2020.

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.