Activity and Achievements: in Detail

Securing funding

  • £11m
  • 9 large multi-centred studies
  • 4 Commissioned (NIHR HTA) 4 Researcher-led (HTA & Industry)

Supporting surgeons

  • 7 Chief Investigators
  • Mentorship of 4 first time NIHR Chief Investigators
  • 20+ surgeon co-applicants

Supporting trainees

  • Doctoral training 
  • 5 MDs/PhDs related to trials
  • Supporting trainee collaborative events
  • Implementing Associate PIs at recruitment sites and on Trial Management Groups

Between 2014-2020, the BOA Orthopaedic Surgical Research Centre (BOSRC) at University of York secured over £11million in funding for 9 multi-centre studies. These were mainly funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme (Figure 1). These include 5 large multicentre trials (ACTIVE, L1FE, ProFHER-2, QIST and KreBS); a randomised three-centre feasibility study (PRESTO); and a three-centre study developing an occupational advice intervention for patients undergoing lower limb arthroplasty (OPAL). Click here for details of all the individual projects funded.

The trials all investigate important questions aimed at improving outcomes for patients. Patients are involved from the earliest stages of development of the bids, through patient panels and being involved as co-applicants. They help inform important aspects of the research such as the outcome measures used and how potential participants are informed about the research.

Staff at the Centre, in conjunction with experienced surgical investigators, have mentored 4 surgeons applying to NIHR for the first time. There were also over 20 surgeon co-applicants on the bids. This ‘hands-on’ experience contributes to increased capacity and development of future research leaders.

The BOSRC undertook a range of engagement activities to promote its work. For example in 2018 members of the team presented at:

  • The Inaugural Meeting of Surgical Trainees Research Collaborative, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull , 22 June 2018
  • The North-West Surgical Trainees Research Collaborative, Stepping Hill Hospital, Manchester, 29 June 2018
  • The CORNET national meeting, York, 22 February 2018
  • The BOA Annual Congress 2018.