A core objective of the HRB is to promote the value and benefits of its funded research to our key stakeholders including politicians, budget-holders, patients and the wider public. By increasing awareness of the benefits of the research we fund, the HRB hopes to strengthen the consensus among our stakeholders and the Irish public, of the value of a well resourced health research system for the benefit of the health service, the health of the population, and the Irish economy.
To enable the HRB to communicate the benefits of health research, the HRB’s evaluation team tracks the outcomes and impacts of HRB-funded research on an ongoing basis. The impacts of this research are manifold and can be broadly classified into the following categories:
- Knowledge production
- Research capacity-building
- Informing policy and product development
- Population health and health sector benefits
- Wider economic impacts
By tracking the outputs, outcomes and impacts of the research it funds over time and by evaluating the effectiveness of the various funding initiatives it operates, the HRB can monitor the success of its funding strategy in delivering its corporate objectives and ultimately the HRB mission and vision.
In summary, tracking and evaluating the outcomes and impacts of research are key functions for the HRB for the following reasons:
- To assess the effectiveness of HRB funding strategy and the various funded schemes in operation
- To assess the outputs, outcomes and impacts of the HRB's investment in health research and to better understand how research leads to impacts
- To promote the value and benefits of HRB-funded research to key stakeholders, including the Irish public
- To demonstrate accountability and value for taxpayer’s money
