Dr. Michael ByrnePrincipal Psychologist Manager / HSCP Research Subgroup

Slides prepared by Patrick McHugh

Research Activity, Skills and Training Needs of Health and Social Care Professionals: 2013 Survey

Research Subgroup members• Michael Byrne, Principal Psychologist Manager, HSE (Chair)• Molly Byrne, School of Psychology, NUIG• Frances Conneely, Senior Executive Officer, HSCP Unit, HSE• Sarah Donnelly, Lecturer in Social Work, UCD• Suzanne Guerin, School of Psychology, UCD• Mandy Lee, Assistant Professor, Health Policy & Management, TCD• Helen Lynch, Dept. of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, UCC• Margaret Moore, Head of Radiotherapy Physics, University Hospital Galway, HSE • Lydia O’Sullivan, Clinical Research Radiation Therapist, SLRON, Beaumont

Centre• Maria O’Sullivan, Associate Professor, Senior Scientist in Nutrition, TCD• Irene Regan, Chief Medical Scientist, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin• Martine Smith, Associate Professor, School of Linguistic Speech &

Communication Sciences, TCD

Recap of 2011 Survey

Advancing on 2011 Survey

• Accessible online survey to gain larger and more representative sample• More detailed comparison of research active and research inactive

participants• Wider range of content examined (e.g., motivation for research,

publications)• More comprehensive analysis of enablers of research• Greater use of open-ended questions to sample opinions and experiences

of HSCPs

2013 Survey

• Online survey created using LimeSurvey• Email with survey link sent on to members of the HSCP Education and

Development Advisory Group, heads of professional bodies, managerial groups and HSE-funded organisations for distribution• 1,325 HSCPs completed the survey• 15,844 HSCPs in Ireland (HSE Personnel Census Report, 2013)• Response rate of 8.4%• Likely response bias to those research active and interested in research • Participant numbers sufficient for reliable results and high statistical

power

Participants

n % n %

Male 226 17.1%HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster 413 31.2%

Female 1,099 82.8% HSE Dublin North East 324 24.5%

Employed by HSE 962 72.6% HSE South 337 25.4%

Employed by HSE-funded organisation 363 27.4% HSE West 251 18.9%

Participants by profession

Profession n % Profession n %

Psychologist 199 15% Radiation Therapist 16 1.2%

Speech and Language Therapist 185 14% Pharmacist 16 1.2%

Occupational Therapist 164 12.4% Orthopist 15 1.1%

Social Worker 146 11% Radiographer 12 .9%

Physiotherapist 142 10.7% Podiatrist 7 .5%

Dietician 99 7.5% Audiologist 7 .5%

Clinical Measurement Technician 63 4.8% Clinical Engineer Technician 4 .3%

Social Care Worker 57 4.3% Biochemist 3 .2%

HSCP (Unspecified) 57 4.3%Environmental Health Officer 3 .2%

Medical Scientist 51 3.8% Play Therapist 2 .2%

Physicist 45 3.4% Phlebotomist 1 .1%

Counsellor 31 2.3%

Proportion of research active participants

For survey results:Research Active = Research active within the last two yearResearch Active = Not research active within the last two years

Characteristics of Research Active HSCPs

Research Active

Professional Grade N n %

Staff Grade 399 142 35.6%

Senior 565 220 38.9%

Clinical Specialist 56 35 62.5%

Principal Specialist 38 25 65.8%

Manager 144 48 33.3%

Chief 45 17 37.8%

Other 78 52 66.7%

Research Active

Health Service Level* N n %

Primary care 391 118 30.2%

Secondary care 431 160 37.1%

Tertiary care 349 187 53.6%

Multiple levels 139 67 48.2%

* 15 participants did not indicate a level

Highest Academic Degree

Strengths and Weaknesses of Participants

Are your research competencies adequate to engage in research?

Research Training Preferences

Enablers of research

* Open-ended questions

Barriers to Research

* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001

Proportion of work time for research

Motivation for research

* Open-ended question

Publications and Presentations

Characteristics of research projects (n = 1953)

Project Characteristic n % Project Characteristic n %

Type of Research Service Evaluation

Primary Research 1047 53.6% Yes 668 34.2%

Secondary Research 596 30.5% No 1285 65.8%

Primary & Secondary 310 15.9%

Research Role Academic Degree

Researcher 1402 76.1% Yes 666 34.1%

Supervisor 441 23.9% No 1287 65.9%

Most recently completed research project (n =357)

Project Characteristic n % Project Characteristic n %

Funded 67 18.8% Collaboration with academic researcher 92 25.8%

Part of larger research stream 64 17.9%

Multidisciplinary Collaboration 116 32.5%

Collaboration 207 58%Collaboration with private organisation 43 12%

Mentorship

* Last completed project

Quality of mentorship

Summary

• Substantial research capacity among both research active and research inactive participants • Higher research activity at more specialist levels of the health service • Variation in competence across research skills• Desire for practically based research training• Lack of time and funding as major barriers to research • Limited opportunities for research during work time • A reliance on personal motivation and initiative to maintain research activity• Good quality support provided by supervisors/mentors

Comparison of 2011 and 2013 Surveys 2011 2013Participant Numbers N = 373 N = 1325Proportion Research Active 47.5% 40.7%

Research strengths

• Collecting data• Recruiting participates• Literature review

• Orally presenting research• Literature review• Generating research idea

Research Weaknesses

• Publishing research• Applying for funding• Qn. data analysis

• Applying for funding• Publishing research• Qn. data analysis

Training preference • One-to-one mentorship • One-to-one mentorship< 10% work time spent on research 54% 65%Service Evaluation 35% 34%Academic degree 34% 34%Funded 23% 19%Collaboration 75% 58%

Barriers

• Clinical workload• Lack of time• Lack of support

• Lack of time• Clinical Workload• Lack of funding

Enablers

• More time• Greater funding• Greater mentorship

• More time• Greater funding• More training

Recommendations• More time for research activity – how to achieve this?• Greater support and encouragement from management• Refresher workshops for research inactive participants interested in getting started• Training modules on publishing research and applying for funding – trial online training?• Create more opportunities for peer collaboration (conferences, online hubs etc.)• Develop stronger links with HEIs – utilise consultative role for experienced researchers• Identify priority areas for government-led research initiatives – medical cost-offset, obesity etc. • Catalogue all research projects in Ireland• Create database of all available sources of research funding• Continue to promote Lenus and Open Access