Apply to the MHRN

An independent 3 A's Committee (Adoption, Advisory & Allocation Committee) considers the suitability of proposals to run on MHRN. Applications to the 3 A's Committee can be made using the MHRN Adoptions Form.

Programme grants need to be divided into sections (studies) with one adoption form completed for each section (study). Where one section (study) depends on the completion of another, the MHRN will provide approval for the first section (study) only.

Details of how the MHRN may facilitate projects, including examples of how the MHRN Clinical Studies Officers can support recruitment, are described in our 'Services' section.

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Eligibility Criteria
All studies running on the MHRN network must adhere to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) eligibility criteria for inclusion into the Comprehensive Clinical Research Network Portfolio.

Funding
Studies must have secured funding awarded through open national competition and have undergone *adequate independent scientific peer review (usually organised by the body awarding funding).

* adequate means the review process must include more than one reviewer, have independence of the reviewer from the host institution and anonymity of the reviewer from the investigators.

Principles by which the 3A’s Committee consider applications:

Is there evidence of service user input in the development of the proposal?
Is the proposal in line with national mental health policy?
Is the proposal free of major ethical and design flaws?

Service User Involvement

Please click on the link to see what we mean by the criterion of user involvement in adopted studies.

Link to Good Practice Guidelines of involving service users in research

Link to Examples of good service user involvement in adopted studies

Definitions:
The MHRN encourages large-scale multiple centre studies. Historically prior to the MHRN mental health studies have been small scale and this has limited the generalisability of the result.

Multiple centre: A project is considered to be multiple centre if it is taking place in a number of different NHS trusts or at a number of clinical or social centres with separate administrative structures e.g. a number of PCTs or Borough social service departments. These could all be within one research hub.

Multiple site: A project is considered multiple site if it is taking place at centres in a number of different Hubs

UKCRN Portfolio Database

All MHRN adopted projects are part of the UKCRN Portfolio and must participate and provide information for the UKCRN Portfolio Database In addition accrual information on individual participants will be required on a monthly basis. Click here for a leaflet which provides more information.

Feasibility
The study must be feasible to run the project on the network. The 3 A’s Committee consider the feasibility of running a project on the MHRN. The committee considers several aspects of feasibility, including current hub activity in order to advise how the Network can facilitate a project.

3 'A's Committee Meeting Dates

Once the adoption application has been reviewed by the 3A’s committee, Chief Investigators have a maximum of 2 months to address the issues in the adoption letter, however a response to acknowledge receipt of the letter is required within 3 weeks.

All applications to the 3 'A's Committee are treated confidentially according to the MHRN Confidentiality and Declarations of Interest Policy.

Monday 19th January 2009: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for apps: Fri 9th January

Monday 23rd March 2009: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for apps: Fri 13th March

Monday 18th May 2009: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for applications: Fri 8th May

Monday 20th July 2009: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for applications: Fri 10th July

Monday 21st September 2009: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for applications: Fri 11th September

Monday 23rd November 2009: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for applications: Fri 13th November

Monday 18th January 2010: 2pm-4pm
Deadline for applications: Fri 8th Jan

For details of how the UK MHRN may facilitate projects, including examples of how MHRN Clincial Studies Offices can support recruitment, click here.

Applicants may also wish to discuss their application with their closest MHRN hub before submitting the form. For the location and contact details for each MHRN Hub click here.