One of the most important functions of NSMI, and an exciting one, is to award healthcare research grants on an annual basis. We want to appoint a Chair of the committee to oversee the assessment and awarding of the grants. This is an exciting opportunity particularly due to the need to overhaul the committee ready for the 2024 round as below.
• To agree the annual research application form with the NSMI Chair & COO.
• To agree with the NSMI Chair & COO the size of maximum individual grant once the total monetary pot available has been notified.
• To oversee the process of assessing the applications with the awards committee and to recommend the successful applications.
• If necessary to arrange a meeting of the research committee to agree the process prior to the annual research application round
• To chair the award committee meetings
• To be involved with the process of notifying the availability of awards
• To notify the successful applicants in agreement with the NSMI Chair & COO
• To recommend and to agree with the NSMI Chair & COO the make-up of the committee
Previously, and in 2023, the committee has been meeting annually. The volume of applications received in 2023 far exceeded previous years. The process requires an overhaul which will require work to establish the 2024 process and is likely to involve a two-stage process for the committee to assess the applications.
The review of the committee will include a review of the scoring system to be used by the committee. A clear policy on conflicts of interest is required. A policy on how often an individual may apply as lead applicant and a co-applicant is preferable. The future application form may give advice on the requirement or not to include staff time, publication costs and conference costs.
The committee is up to 12 people and to include a lay member and a Trustee of NSMI (currently the NSMI Chair). The role of the lay member for the meetings is to be determined and may require a specific section in the application for this. It is anticipated that every member of the committee will serve for a defined time (3 years currently) and be eligible to sit for a second term. This will include the Chair. This policy can fall under the remit of the review of the committee.
