Older people, people with intellectual disabilities, and marginalised communities are among the groups who will benefit from this cycle of awards.  A full list of the 10 successful Applied Partnership Awards (APAs), with information on the lead applicants and project summaries is available.

According to Dr Mairead O’Driscoll

“The APAs are designed to bring knowledge users and researchers together to develop research projects that address a specific need within the Irish health or social care system. They are a cornerstone in the HRB strategy to invest in research that delivers value for the health system, society, and the economy.

“These latest ten awards bring to 42 the total number of awards made under this scheme since it began in 2016.”

The partner / knowledge user organisations in this round of funding include:

  • Department of Health
  • National Care Experience Programme (NCEP)
  • HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme
  • National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability
  • HSE Services for Older People, Change and Innovation
  • HSE National Clinical Programme for Obesity and Association for the Study of Obesity Ireland (ASOI)
  • Galway University Hospital
  • HSE Office of the Chief Clinical Officer 
  • HSE National Dementia Office
  • Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)

Dr Catherine Gill, Programme Manager for Targeted Programmes said:

“This scheme is unique in Ireland and was considered by the independent review Panel to be genuinely innovative.  The panel noted that the successful applications were well grounded in theory and evidence and all had well thought out integrated knowledge translation (iKT) strategies.”

“In the HRB we recognise that by involving knowledge users at all stages from research design, through conduct of the research, dissemination, implementation, there is much greater chance that the projects will produce relevant findings and be rapidly implemented into policy and practice.”

An international panel of experts selected the ten awards based on assessment criteria that included the scientific quality of the research proposal as well as the potential to translate and or implement findings into policy or practice. Key considerations included the design and methodology, strength of the researcher/knowledge user partnership, feasibility of the study, public and patient involvement and pathways to impact.

Dr Gill adds:

“A new round of the Applied Partnership Awards scheme is due to open for applications early in 2024, and the HRB are encouraging researchers and knowledge users to consider this opportunity to apply for funding to answer important research questions for health and social care in Ireland.”

A full list of the awards including lay summaries is attached at the end of release.

For more information on individual awards and / or to speak to the lead applicants, please contact the press offices at their respective host institutions.

Ends.