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Table 2 The principles of RCD

From: How do NHS organisations plan research capacity development? Strategies, strengths, and opportunities for improvement

Promoting actionable dissemination (DISS)

This principle relates to dissemination of research findings through a range of methods. It can include traditional scholarly methods, (publications, conference presentations) or other means including websites, multi-media or tools and techniques to support decision making in practice. Dissemination can be internal to the trust or external and ‘actionable’ implies some sort of impact - scholarly impact, and/or impact on practice (e.g. in policies, instruments, programmes of care, or factsheets). In the latter there are therefore links to the CTP principle.

Developing research ‘close to practice’ (CTP)

This principle relates to research being delivered or developed within health services, thus co-producing research with high level of relevance to practice or policy concerns. It can relate to research questions and priorities being set by or with practitioners and services, policy makers, and/or service users, using practice or experiential knowledge. It can also relate to relevant research being ‘impactful’ and becoming embedded into practitioners’ day-to-day activities.

Developing a support infrastructure (INF)

This principle relates to building additional resources, and/or processes into the trust’s organisational system to enable the smooth and effective running of research projects and for research capacity building.

Supporting linkages and collaborations (LINKS)

This principle relates to forming links, both internal and external, and on an organisational and individual level, to enhance RCD through knowledge exchange and collaboration. It can also relate to benefiting from resources and services beyond the trust.

Developing research skills and confidence in the health services workforce (SKILLS)

This principle relates to training and development opportunities to create a workforce with the skills and confidence they need to conduct research, apply for funding, lead on research projects, and for career progression opportunities.

Planning sustainability (SUS)

This principle relates to ensuring that the existing level of research capacity can be sustained, and ideally, grown. This principle therefore overlaps with INF, LINKS, and SKILLS, as many of the activities associated with these other principles will also contribute to sustainability.