Research

Research Capabilities

The research capabilities

The expectation is that all practice-based health and care professionals develop these fundamental research capabilities, relevant to their level of practice.

Organisation of the capabilities into eight non-hierarchical, inter-related domains, requires consideration of them as a whole, rather than of individual domains in isolation.

The capabilities presented at each level incorporate and extend those that precede it. Progression to the next level requires first achieving the capabilities outlined at the previous level.   

It is recognised that practitioners may possess or choose to develop research capabilities beyond those outlined at a particular level of practice. This might relate to different entry level qualifications. It could apply to those in research delivery leadership roles or actively pursuing a clinical or practitioner academic development pathway.

Multi-professional Practice-based Research Capabilities Framework

Transforming services, outcomes and experiences
	Research-related career growth
	Planning and designing research
	Delivering research
	Knowledge mobilisation and research implementation
	Networking and collaborating in research
	Supporting research-related development in others
	Leading and managing research projects and teams
	Strategic leadership in research and knowledge mobilisation
Multi-professional Practice-based Research Capabilities Framework

Multi-professional Practice-based Research Capabilities Framework

Research Capabilities domain 1.	Research-related career growth

Research Capabilities Domain 1. Research-related career growth

The focus of the Research-related career growth domain is on a proactive approach to research-related capabilities development in practice. These capabilities are the foundation for consistently embedding research into the day-to-day practice of all health and care practitioners.

Research Capabilities Domain 2. Planning and designing research

Research Capabilities Domain 2. Planning and designing research

The Planning and designing research domain brings together capabilities that underpin the effective critique of research outputs, the evolving evidence base and wider sources of information / data, and the development of robust protocols for individual inquiry and research projects.

Research Capabilities Domain 3. Delivering research

Research Capabilities Domain 3. Delivering research

Capabilities within the Delivering research domain centre on those related to promoting, supporting, contributing to and engaging in the delivery of research in accordance with the expectations of ethical conduct, robust governance processes and Good Clinical Practice. The capabilities apply to research developed and lead by the individual, as well as research developed and lead by others.

Research Capabilities Domain 4. Knowledge mobilisation and research implementation

Research Capabilities Domain 4. Knowledge mobilisation and research implementation

The Knowledge mobilisation and research implementation domain focuses on capabilities required to make best use of existing evidence, share new knowledge and add to the evidence base in ways that optimise uptake and support the transformation of services, outcomes and experiences.

Research Capabilities Domain 5. Networking and collaborating in research

Research Capabilities Domain 5. Networking and collaborating in research

The capabilities in the Networking and collaborating in research domain centre on realising the benefits of learning with and from others in research, and bringing together stakeholders and differing perspectives and expertise to enhance the quality of research and the building of research capability and capacity.

Research Capabilities Domain 6. Supporting research-related development in others

Research Capabilities Domain 6. Supporting research-related development in others

Recognising the collective effort required to build research capability and capacity, the Supporting research-related development in others identifies capabilities associated with practitioners at any level supporting those with less experience to develop their own research-related capabilities.

Research Capabilities Domain 7. Leading and managing research projects and teams

Research Capabilities Domain 7. Leading and managing research projects and teams

Capabilities within the Leading and managing research projects and teams domain are those that provide the foundation for effectively stepping into research project leadership roles, managing associated staff and resources, and overseeing quality.

Research Capabilities Domain 8. Strategic leadership in research and knowledge mobilisation

Research Capabilities Domain 8. Strategic leadership in research and knowledge mobilisation

The focus of the Strategic leadership in research and knowledge mobilisation domain is on capabilities associated with awareness of, influencing and leading research and knowledge mobilisation within broader organisational, national or international contexts.

Appendices

Footnotes

[1] Support workers, senior support workers, technicians, assistants, assistant practitioners and associate practitioners work with and alongside the health and care professionals and in those disciplinary areas, playing an important and growing role in delivering of safe and effective care for people accessing health and care services and wider communities.

[2] Fraser S. & Greenhalgh T. (2001) Coping with complexity: educating for capability. British Medical Journal 323, 799–803.

[3] McGee P, Inman C Eds (2019) Advanced practice in healthcare: dynamic developments in nursing and allied health professions. 4th ed. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

[4] Brunner et al (2018) An eHealth capabilities framework for graduates and health professionals: Mixed-methods study. Journal of Medical Internet Research 20(5), DOI: 10.2196/10229

[5] Leary (2022) The Principles of Enhanced Level Practice

[6] Support workers, senior support workers, technicians, assistants, assistant practitioners and associate practitioners work with and alongside the health and care professionals and in those disciplinary areas, playing an important and growing role in delivering of safe and effective care for people accessing health and care services and wider communities.

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Research Framework

Multi-professional Practice-based Research Capabilities Framework (full download)