Membership number: CP000000
Welcome to the CoP section dedicated to research and audit. The research and audit group has become a well established group, contributing to a number of positive work streams undertaken in the past few years. It has predominantly focused on research projects for out of hospital care in order that we can progress the future of the profession from an evidence based perspective.
The group is now chaired by John Donaghy who is a registered Paramedic and active member of your professional body. All of the participants in this group are members of the CoP and come from a range of varied backgrounds:
Paramedics
Research specialists
Paramedic Lecturers
Academic nurses teaching paramedic degree programmes
Remember this is your specialist group and it exists to further research undertaken by the profession, to improve patient care, and to raise the threshold of the professional standing of our members.
The Terms of Reference for the group are available on this website, but some of our key objectives are:
1. To develop a research and audit strategy for the CoP
2. To design and undertake research and audit projects in the field of pre-hospital emergency and unscheduled care in support of the work of the CoP and to further develop evidence-based pre-hospital care.
3. To disseminate the findings of completed CoP research and audit projects to member, in addition to a wider audience through publications and presentations
4. To identify and pursue opportunities to influence the health services research agenda at national, regional, and local level
5. To provide professional representation for the CoP on appropriate national and regional committees
6. To identify and disseminate international and national published research and audit findings of relevance and interest to CoP members
7. To develop educational initiatives for ambulance professionals in areas related to research
8. To identify and disseminate details of other sources of education in research and audit to CoP members
9. On request, to provide expert advice and support on research proposals developed by CoP members (see table below)
10. To review and approve all research to be undertaken under the auspices of the CoP
11. To provide a peer-review service for research protocols prior to submission to ethics and research governance committees (external peer review is now recommended by all ethics committees)
12. To ensure all research carried out under the auspices of the CoP meets current standards and guidelines for research governance, ethics, and good research practice
The group is planning not only to undertake research and audit in the name of the CoP but also to ensure that you, our members, are able to develop your own research skills. The ability to undertake research that guides practice is one of the key markers of a 'profession'. As our work develops we may be canvassing you, the members, for your input into various research questionnaires on topics of relevance. In addition to larger projects coming on stream we will be seeking funding for ambulance professionals to participate fully in the studies as research assistants.
Minutes of the group will be published on the website as will policy and guidance documents to support your own research. We have also assembled a list of useful links and would be delighted to receive further suggestions to expand on these. Topics covered include research and audit methodology, research governance, and funding sources.
I look forward to an exciting time with this group and enabling opportunities for all members. Please give us subject areas for which you would like to see research questions designed, and any suggestions to help promote our work will be welcomed.
John Donaghy (Research and Audit group chairman).
Current CoP Research and Audit Group members:
Dr Julia Williams
Janette Turner
Pete Gregory
Mike Templeton
Sarah Christopher
Roland Furber
Mike Smyth
Sarah Christopher
Please note: that we are currently working to produce a list of those members of the Research & Audit group to identify their specialism’s and who would liked to be contacted with enquiries. This piece of work should be completed by the end of February 2010. In the meantime Should you have a fully-developed protocol that you wish to submit for peer-review prior to making an application to an ethics committee, this should be emailed to Malcolm Woollard in the first instance.