The BMA has questionned the UK Government about the
possible £300
million drop in the funding available for health research which, it
warns,
is already
under pressure
on several
different fronts.
Under HM Treasury plans, a new single fund of at least £1 billion
would be created for health research, which is currently funded jointly
by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development
programme. The combined value of the MRC and NHS research budgets in
2007-8 is expected to be £1.3 billion.
The BMA welcomes the fact that research funding is being reviewed,
but is concerned about the apparent £300 million drop.
Professor Michael Rees, chairman of the BMA’s Medical Academic
Staff Committee, said:
“ We are seeking urgent clarification about this apparent
drop in funding. Health research is vital to patient care and the
development
of new treatments, as well as providing economic benefits. In no way
should it be diminished – especially not by £300 million.”
In its response to the
Cooksey Review of UK Health Research, the BMA said that research
in the NHS is already under pressure on several fronts, including:
- Cash-strapped NHS trusts being tempted to raid research budgets
- Increasing numbers of NHS providers making coherent research more
difficult
- Financial disincentives discouraging junior doctors from undertaking
research
- Junior doctors in specialties that do not attract major research
funding dropping out of academic careers
- Medical schools facing underinvestment
- Numbers of medical academic staff falling
- Small-scale but valuable NHS research losing out because of
increasing emphasis on larger projects
The BMA response expresses fears that the funding merger could result
in less direct clinical research - where benefits to patients are realised
earlier than for more theoretical research. It points out that such
research – in areas like disease prevention and screening – has
received relatively little funding from the MRC.
Professor Rees said
“ It would be disastrous if the merger led
to a reduction in investment in applied research.”
The BMA welcomes the Cooksey Review and calls for:
- Increased investment to support training in academic medicine
- Substantial amounts of the research budget to be earmarked specifically
for applied clinical research
- The peer review element of funding grants to continue so that
political interference in research is minimised
Professor Rees said:
“ If the new funding system provides the
right level of support for academic trainees, that would be a very
wise investment. Health research should include investment in training
people, not just in infrastructure. As far as possible, research should
be free from political interference.”
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