The toolkit (pictured below) includes practical tips for researchers on how to maximise the impact of research findings to inform health and care service planning, policymaking and quality improvement efforts.
It was co-produced with commissioners and researchers working with NIHR Mental Health Implementation Network (MHIN), a collaboration of service users, local communities, commissioners and health and care providers, that aims to drive national improvements in mental health care.
Becca Randell, co-lead for the MHIN’s children and young people programme and an implementation manager at NIHR ARC Kent, Surrey and Sussex, who led the development of the toolkit, emphasises the importance of engaging commissioners throughout the research cycle, from research design through to dissemination and implementation.
"As a commissioner for over 25 years, I know that research plays an imperative role in commissioning and can help inform transformation, improve quality and measure the impact of services," she says.
This toolkit gives an overview of the commissioning cycle and provides researchers with practical strategies for effectively collaborating with commissioners so that evidence can inform key strategic decisions and enhance health and social care services
Commissioning is the process of assessing the health and care needs of a population, and then planning, prioritising, purchasing and monitoring services to get the best health outcomes for the population.
The resource was created by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Kent Surrey and Sussex with support from NIHR ARC South London, as part of NIHR Mental Health Implementation Network (MHIN) programme. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.