Strategy Review
Funding to date has been mainly, but not exclusively, directed to one prostate cancer research unit at the Hammersmith Hospital Campus of Imperial College in London. Our research strategy was reviewed in 2003 by a Research Strategy Review Committee. As a result of their recommendations we have now adopted a dispersed research strategy, aimed at funding the best quality UK based research wherever it is to be found.
See below for more detail on the Research Strategy Review
Research Strategy - Overview
1. Background
1.1 The Prostate Cancer Charity was founded by Professor Jonathan Waxman in 1996 to generate income for research and to raise awareness of prostate cancer. Since 1996, over £3 million has been invested by the Charity in prostate cancer research, primarily at Hammersmith Hospital but also, to a limited degree, at other research institutions. Overall, 94% of research expenditure by the Charity has been at Hammersmith.
1.2 As the size, reach and impact of the Charity grew - taking on a national remit – it became important to adopt a well-reasoned and articulate strategy for its future research investment.
1.3 At the end of 2002, the Chief Executive set up a Research Strategy Review Committee to undertake a fundamental review of future research options. The Committee included researchers and clinicians independent of the Charity, representatives of the Department of Health and the Medical Research Council, and ‘users’. The Committee was chaired by Professor Gary England, Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Science, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (now chair of the Research Advisory Committee).
1.4 The Research Strategy Review Committee unanimously recommended that the Charity adopt, in future, a dispersed strategy, funding the best quality research wherever it was to be found - with a focus on practical outcomes.
1.5 Based on the recommendations of the Research Strategy Review Committee, the Charity’s Board agreed a new strategy in 2003 which was implemented as follows:
- A dispersed strategy was adopted, funding the best quality research wherever it is to be found.
- Recognising the strong links that had existed between the Charity and the Hammersmith Prostate Cancer Research Team, the team was invited to submit a further programme grant application with ring fencing of funds to provide a degree of interim protection.
- The work of the Hammersmith Prostate Cancer Research Team to date, and the grant application, was however subject to rigorous peer review using the Cancer Research UK research assessment framework (site visit carried out on 30th January 2004).
- Beyond the new grant to be made by the Charity to Hammersmith in 2004, the Prostate Cancer Research Team would be expected to compete for future grant funding from the Charity on a fully competitive basis.
- Rigorous peer review to be implemented and a Research Advisory Committee to be established to provide independent advice to the Charity’s Board on research investment.
- A new Statement of Values and Principles for research investment should underpin the Charity’s decisions on research policy and investment.
By September 2006 we had discharged our previous funding obligations under the old strategy and were able to proceed with our first UK wide national ‘Call for Proposals’. This ‘call’ will be repeated on an annual basis.