The MPS Foundation - a global not-for-profit research initiative that aims to shape the future of patient safety – has opened for applications for its 2024 grant programme.

Medical Protection Society (MPS) launched the Foundation in 2022. Now in its third year, it has already supported over 30 research projects from across the world.

UK projects awarded funding in 2023 include a study aimed at improving safety in gastrointestinal endoscopy, research examining the effects of patient suicide on clinicians, and a project to better understand the role patients’ relatives play in ICU decisions and how the Mental Capacity Act can lead to better outcomes for patients, families and healthcare professionals.

The Foundation is now inviting new research grant applications from both MPS members and non-members. It will invest in research and analysis with a key focus on patient safety and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals and teams, both medical and dental. Applications will be considered from the jurisdictions where MPS has members. This includes the UK, South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand, Ireland, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Research projects supported by The MPS Foundation need to be academically robust and evidence based. Available funding will range from £5,000 to £200,000, or equivalent in local currency, depending on the scale, focus and duration of the proposal.

The funding focusses on five main areas:

• the impact of human factors on patient safety, outcomes, and risk
• the impact of processes and delivery modes on patient safety, outcomes, and risk
• the personal and professional wellbeing of healthcare professionals and teams
• the impact of digital integration and technology on patient safety, outcomes, and risk
• the impact of the effectiveness of teaching and learning innovations upon patient safety, outcomes and risk.

Dr Graham Stokes, MPS Foundation Chair, said: “We are delighted to launch our third grant programme to support research projects on patient safety and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. Funding for research in this area has been limited but our grant programmes have been changing that. Projects that we have supported in previous years have shown great success in promoting best practise and wellbeing across several countries.

“Our aim is simple: to fund research that improves safety for patients and the wellbeing of healthcare teams.

“If you have a research project that you think is suitable, register your interest and join our growing community of grant recipients. I strongly encourage healthcare professionals to consider applying for support whatever the scale of the proposal and to make the most of the additional resources available to support applicants this year.”

Applicants can register their interest and apply by visiting www.thempsfoundation.org and entering their details via the online grant portal. Calls for expressions of interest close on 3 May 2024 at 17:00 BST.

The MPS Foundation team is holding two online question and answer clinics on 8 March and later in April to introduce the 2024 grant programme, explain the application process and what makes a successful application. The team can also respond to any questions applicants have about the process.

The Foundation is part of MPS – the world’s leading protection organisation – which currently supports more than 300,000 doctors, dentists and healthcare professionals, and has almost 130 years of global healthcare experience and expertise.

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About MPS

The Medical Protection Society Limited (“MPS”) is the world’s leading protection organisation for doctors, dentists and healthcare professionals. We protect and support the professional interests of more than 300,000 members around the world. Membership provides access to expert advice and support and can also provide, depending on the type of membership required, the right to request indemnity for any complaints or claims arising from professional practice.

Our in-house experts assist with the wide range of legal and ethical problems that arise from professional practice. This can include clinical negligence claims, complaints, medical and dental council inquiries, legal and ethical dilemmas, disciplinary procedures, inquests and fatal accident inquiries.

Our philosophy is to support safe practice in medicine and dentistry by helping to avert problems in the first place. We do this by promoting risk management through our workshops, E-learning, clinical risk assessments, publications, conferences, lectures and presentations.

MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.