Global patient safety and wellbeing research initiative invites grant applications

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

Medical Protection Society (MPS) launched The MPS Foundation last year and its first research grant programme received over 150 expressions of interest. 10 applicants were successful in securing funding for their research. This includes UK research projects exploring the impact of autonomous telemedicine on clinician wellbeing, the use of sport psychology to understand and improve performance-related resilience for doctors, and a multi-site investigation into the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence powered clinical decision support technology on students’ clinical reasoning when using virtual patients.

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, and applications will again 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 models on patient safety, outcomes and risk
• the personal and professional wellbeing and development of clinicians
• the impact of digital integration and technology on patient safety, outcomes and risk.
• the evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching and learning innovations and the impact upon patient care, safety, outcomes and risk.

Dr Graham Stokes, MPS Foundation Chair, said: “Patient safety and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals and teams are more vital today than ever. Until now, funding for research into both has been limited, but this is all set to change with access to research funding through The MPS Foundation. As a global not-for-profit research initiative, we aim to take non-clinical research in a new direction and transform the future of patient safety.

“Our aim is simple: to create sustainable global change through ambitious research that can be used to develop a knowledge base that improves patient safety, enhances the wellbeing of healthcare teams and reduces risks.

“I am delighted with the progress The MPS Foundation has made and to launch the second grant programme. Our first grant programme saw expressions of interest from all MPS jurisdictions with 10 of those research projects awarded funding. These projects are exciting, diverse and carry great potential.

“All research projects must be academically robust and evidence based. While funding will be available up to £200,000, smaller grants from £5,000 will also be available and I would strongly encourage healthcare professionals to consider applying for support whatever the scale of their proposal.”

Healthcare professionals can register their interest by visiting www.thempsfoundation.org and entering their details via the online grant portal. Calls for expressions of interest close on 5 May 2023.

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.

ENDS

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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.