When submitting a grant application you will need to consider how the different activities to be undertaken as part of the project will be funded.
Some funders will cover every aspect of the project whether it is research equipment or clinician time to deliver an intervention. However many funders use the Department of Health 'Attributing the costs of health and social care research' guidance (AcoRD) to attribute costs.
AcoRD splits costs in to the following three categories:
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Research costs - The costs of the research itself that end when the research ends. They relate to activities that are being undertaken to answer the research questions. Paid for by the research grant.
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Service Support Costs - Additional patient care costs associated with the research that would end when the research was completed i.e. Screening, consenting and tests to ensure patient safety. Paid for by the Clinical Research Network (CRN) and provided by The Academy of Research and Improvement. Paid for by the Clinical Research Network (CRN) and provided by The Academy of Research and Improvement.
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Excess Treatment Costs (ETCs) - Costs of delivering a treatment as part of the research, including training staff to undertake a new intervention as well as any tests or follow ups that would occur to monitor patient safety. Paid for by CRN Wessex excess treatment costs fund provided by local CCGs.
The key question to ask when allocating a cost is ‘Why is this task being undertaken?’ If the answer is for the research analysis, the cost is a research cost. If the answer is for patient care but is not integral to the treatment, the cost is a service support cost. If the answer is to treat the patient, the cost is a treatment cost. Our team is available to help with this process and can provide further guidance on costing your project.
Applying for Excess Treatment Costs (ETCs)
The excess treatment costs for a study are provided via local commissioning arrangements. For Wessex this is managed by the Wessex CRN. The CRN require researchers to apply for ETC for studies being undertaken by Wessex trusts.
Guidance regarding the degree of funding available and the process for applying is available on the CRN website. Both the Academy of Research and Improvement and the CRN study support service are available to support you.
