How can you be involved?

You can help us build and carry out our research programme in many different ways:

advise us where and what type of self care research is needed;

serve as a participant on an advisory panel for a particular research projects;

be a participant in one of our many diverse research project;

assist us with making information as accessible as possible to the general public.

How can NMAHPs be involved?

There will be many opportunities for NMAHPs to become involved in this research programme.

You can support existing researchers conducting research in practice by letting us know about your interests in self-care and self-management, by registering with SPPIRe (see below) and by helping to make sure research is done.

You can contribute to grant applications from a practice perspective, and if you have more research experience, you can work with our academic staff to prepare grant applications and conduct or lead research itself.

Why is research important?

We do not always know how to help people manage their health and health care better or how to support their efforts. Research can help find how to support people by using theories to develop ideas, by identifying what has worked in the past and by coming up with new interventions or approaches to care and evaluate their effectiveness. Supporting self care needs an evidence base.

Because so much of the work of NMAHPs is relevant to care provided in home and community settings we work very closely with the Scottish School of Primary Care.

The School's "Scottish Practices and Professionals Involved in Research" (SPPIRe) is a network of primary care based practices and professionals who want to increase the evidence base for their work, are interested in research and keen to be more involved.

You are very much encouraged to register your interests and to make contact with your local SPPIRe node co-coordinators (http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/sspc/sppire/)