Title: Enhancing Research Capacity in Adult Social Care in the East of England: testing the feasibility of Research in Practice Teams (The SCRiPT study)
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: What do we know about research use in social care?_x000D_ Over 1 million adults in the UK receive personal and practical care and support from social care. They might need this support because of their age, illness or disability. Social care aims to help people stay independent and achieve a good quality of life. A wide range of staff with different qualifications and experience provide social care. The Government wants social care to make more use of research evidence. But there are not enough social care staff with the skills to do research. _x000D_ _x000D_ What do we want to find out?_x000D_ Our aim is to see if we can use an approach known as ‘Communities of Practice’ to increase research skills in staff in adult social care services. We will do this in two areas in the East of England (Hertfordshire and Norfolk). Communities of practice are small groups of practitioners with a common interest. They have been used in health care to help staff build research skills. We want to see how to make this approach work in social care settings. _x000D_ _x000D_ What will we do?_x000D_ We are going to work with partners in Adult Social Care at Hertfordshire County Council and Norfolk County Council. Together we will create and test four Communities of Practice (CoPs). These CoPs will focus on increasing research skills among social care staff. We are calling these CoPs Research in Practice Teams (RiPT). These RiPTs will be new teams created around a topic or an area of common interest. _x000D_ Each RiPT will include 6-7 people. This will include practitioners and researchers with different levels of experience. Teams will be funded for two years. Each RiPT will have a practitioner team lead funded for two and a half days a week. We will also fund other practitioners in the RiPT so they can take time out from front line duties. They will be able to take part in research related activities and attend meetings. In each RiPT the team lead will undertake a research project. Other members of the RiPT will help with the research. Service users and carers will be actively involved in the research projects undertaken by each RiPT. RiPTs will get training and support to help them do the research. _x000D_ _x000D_ How will we evaluate the RiPTs?_x000D_ We will collect data to see if the RiPTs are: _x000D_ 1) are a good way of getting researchers and social care practitioners to work together; _x000D_ 2) make it more likely that our team members can understand and carry out research, _x000D_ 3) lead to research that is relevant to local organisations and service users and carers. _x000D_ Data will be collected at the beginning, middle and end of the RiPTs. It will include focus groups and interviews, and data on research knowledge and research outputs such as research grants and papers._x000D_ _x000D_ What are the skills and experience of the research team?_x000D_ Our project team includes researchers, practitioners in adult social care, and experts by experience. We have experience in providing social care services and doing research with the groups of people that use social care. We also have experience in developing research skills in practitioners. Representatives from Hertfordshire CC and Norfolk CC are co-applicants on this bid. They have helped to develop the research proposal. Our project will have an advisory group. This will involve service users and carers, representatives from social care, and people who are experts in using Communities of Practice. The project team is supported by the East of England Applied Research Collaboration.

Lay abstract: Background: The NIHR has a remit to develop the evidence base to inform and improve adult social care practice in England by commissioning and conducting internationally leading research. However, there are too few social care staff with research skills, and the infrastructure to support research in social care settings is lacking. Research capacity development is complicated as Adult Social Care is delivered though a highly devolved model and by a wide range of providers. There is a need for sustainable and targeted models that have the potential to develop research capacity in individuals and build supportive research cultures within organisations._x000D_ _x000D_ Aims & objectives: The overall aim is to establish teams of researchers and social care practitioners (Research in Practice Teams) and evaluate if this model can mobilise research learning and promote the conduct of research that reflects the priorities and challenges of the populations they serve._x000D_ _x000D_ Design: Mixed method study using a four-site case study approach that draws on theories of Communities of Practice. _x000D_ _x000D_ Methods: The project will be conducted over 36 months in two counties in the East of England (Hertfordshire and Norfolk). It will involve four work packages (WP). _x000D_ _x000D_ • WP1 focuses on the development of four Research in Practice teams (RiPTs) grouped around an area of shared interest. Each RiPT will involve 6-7 members of differing levels of experience and seniority. Teams will be funded for two years to develop and implement a way of working that will support research knowledge and use. _x000D_ _x000D_ • WP2 focuses on the provision of tailored training for members of the RiPTs designed to support their development as research competent professionals. This draws on resources from the University of Hertfordshire, the University of East Anglia, the East of England ARC and NIHR Clinical Research Network Eastern. _x000D_ _x000D_ • WP3 focuses on the development and delivery of research projects that reflect local priorities and build research skills and capacity in members of the RiPTs. The Community of Practice approach will foster collaborative learning and knowledge sharing with active participation in research creating the opportunity for ‘learning through doing’. _x000D_ _x000D_ • WP4 focuses on evaluating the feasibility and impact of the RiPT model. Data will be collected to assess whether RiPTs have an impact on RiPT members research knowledge or involvement in research, create a vehicle for learning and knowledge exchange, and lead to locally relevant research being conducted. In addition, we will document the resources involved in delivering the RiPT model._x000D_ _x000D_ Anticipated impact and dissemination_x000D_ To create short and long term impact we will: 1) ensure the participation of relevant stakeholders (including experts by experience); 2) disseminate findings in a variety of formats, including those that are accessible to non-academic audiences; 3) provide access to a tested model for building capacity within the sector to evaluate improvements and innovations in social care; 4) generate a legacy of awareness raising amongst beneficiaries of how to develop, conduct and use research and 5) create sustainable partnerships between researchers, adult social care providers and research networks (e.g. ARC, CRN). Social care practitioners and RiPTs will be actively involved in dissemination. Involvement with local, national and international networks will underpin the relevance and reach of the work

Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE