We have found that one of the biggest obstacles to research is knowing where to start, how to approach the task and how to gather and assess relevant information. This aim of this section, research guidance, is to provide support and information to health care workers who wish to undertake research in their specific area of interest. Our recent publication "Guide to Good Research Practice" covers many of the topics directly related to research from study design and methodology to ethics and publishing.

Related References

To access supporting text on critical appraisal of information and details of statistical support available click here.

To access information on the ethics review process for health research in the HSE MId-West click here

Funding to support research is currently available from a range of national and international bodies to support all aspects of health research.

The Health Research Board (HRB) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) have issued their first joint funding award. The HRB-SFI Translational Research Awards will benefit the following areas;

• Patient Orientated Research
• E Health
• Medical Devices
• Diagnostics

For further details go to www.hrb.ie or www.sfi.ie

The primary sources of funding at present are;

1. Health Research Board
2. Science Foundation Ireland
3. Enterprise Ireland
4. The Wellcome Trust

Background

The Health Research Board (HRB) funding schemes range from individual project grants to funding for large scale research projects. Full details of the various types of grants and application procedures are available at www.hrb.ie

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has the task of establishing Ireland as a centre of research excellence in strategic areas relevant to economic development, particularly Biotechnology and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). SFI is a key organisation in the implementation of the NDP 2007-20013 and the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013. www.sfi.ie

The Welcome Trust funds innovative biomedical research in the UK and internationally with an estimated expenditure £600 million per annum. It's mission is "to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health". http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/

The Wellcome Trust offers grants for research in the following general areas:

1. Biomedical Science
2. Medical Humanities
3. Public engagement
4. Technology Transfer
5. Capital Funding
6. Strategic Awards

Enterprise Ireland (EI)helps both companies and researchers based in third level institutions to engage in research. EI facilitates collaborative links between enterprise and the research community that lead to the practical application of research in business, and yielding benefits to both groups.

Grants are routinely provided to support commercisation and the purcahsing of essesntial equipment. For further details click here.

The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology supports research across masters, doctoral and postdoctoral levels. For further details click here.

In addition large scale funding is available as part of the European Union Research and Innovation programme. The aim is provide financial support to multidisciplinary teams of researchers from collaborating member states. As part of Framework Programme 7(FP7) €50.5 billion is available from 2007 -2013. Find out more

Other sources of funding for research in Ireland include various charities associated with a specific disease (eg. The Irish Cancer Society or The Irish Heart Foundation). Visit www.cancer.ie