What is a Research Design Service?

National Institute for Health Research Research Design Services (NIHR RDSs) aim to increase the volume and quality of successful grant applications for NIHR funding. To do this  we provide expert advice to help local researchers to develop and design high quality research proposals for submission to national, peer-reviewed, funding competitions for applied health or social care research. Each RDS is part of the NIHR infrastructure and this support is provided free of charge.

The NIHR RDS for South Central (RDS SC) has its main bases in Southampton, Portsmouth and Oxford with other associated staff located within the geographical area covered by the RDS. There is a wide skill-mix of staff including statisticians, qualitative researchers, epidemiologists, health economists and information specialists. RDS staff are research-active and have considerable expertise in developing and designing high quality research proposals.