Unified research information management systems
A unified set of web-based systems will hold the information required to manage health and social care research in England. The integrated system is being designed and built to make the processes of information input, retrieval and dissemination faster and easier for everyone involved.
All organisations and individuals in England (and their research partners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) who provide care, fund research, employ researchers or review or regulate research will have access to them.
The integrated system, based on an Enterprise Architecture, will feature:
- a national portal so that:
- the key information required for ethics review, NHS site-specific permissions and authorisation of trials need be entered once only;
- it is easy to find information on:
- designing and organising a research study,
- the steps needed to gain permission, and
- how to run and report on a research study.
- an archive for research protocols, data and conclusions.
- the ability to exchange data sets and documents between partner organisations.
- the ability to link standard data sets and documents to other systems that provide access to research outputs.
- the ability to inform all patients throughout the NHS of research that is relevant to them.
Work is under way to unify the information management systems that support the National Institute for Heath Research.
In 2006 the NIHR consulted on the High Level User Requirements Specification and the NIHR Portal User Requirements. The Portal User Requirement document, incorporating the feedback received, is available below.
The NIHR began to implement a R&D Management Information System in 2010, which will be available through the NIHR portal. A Programme Board oversees this work. The Programme Brief, Programme Mandate and Outline Business Case are available below.
NIHR briefing documents: