Join a Health and Care Research Wales Faculty personal award funding panel

Are you interested in joining one of the Health and Care Research Wales Faculty personal award funding panels?

We are delighted to announce the opportunity to join one of our Personal Award funding panels. The Faculty is looking to recruit 50 - 60 professional panel members to support us as we launch our suite of new personal awards.

We are setting up a pool of panel members from which we can assign members to a panel depending on areas of expertise, geographical location, employing organisation and availability. The pool will be composed of individuals with a broad spectrum of knowledge, skills and experience needed to get a well-rounded view of research needs and research assessment. We will look for input from academics, subject experts, clinical staff, service managers, health, social care and public health professionals. Our panels will work with us to ensure that all Health and Care Research Wales personal award holders are developing, leading and innovating as they conduct high quality research into diseases, treatments, services and outcomes that can improve and even save people’s lives. 

We would welcome expressions of interest from all professions across health and social care and at any stage of research career. We would also welcome expressions of interest from any current panel members who would be interested in continuing to be involved. For those that are early-stage career we will be able to provide a “buddy system” to support you through your first funding panel process.

Membership is open to people from across the United Kingdom and we welcome applications from all sections of the community. 

Chairs will be selected for each panel based on experience and area of expertise. We would ask that those happy to take on a role as Chair or Deputy Chair indicate this when expressing an interest.

Applicants must have:

• Relevant clinical, healthcare, social care or public health background.
• Knowledge and understanding of the importance of, and need for, health and social care and/or public health research.
• Current or recent experience of working in or with the UK health and social care sectors at a senior level.
• Experience at a senior level in their field of expertise.
• Relevant professional qualifications and registrations.
• Academic background and track record of research achievement and leadership, if appropriate (not required for all panels).

Applicants must be able to:

• Understand, review and summarise information from long documents.
• Confidently and constructively take part in meetings and group discussions.
• Clearly communicate and share feedback and thoughts.
• Use a computer-based management information system and be computer literate.

Member role and responsibilities

Health and Care Research Wales will expect that panel members:

• act in accordance with the agreed committee Terms of Reference.
• prepare for meetings by reading the agenda papers and research applications in advance and raising any issues for clarification with Faculty staff.
• undertake a detailed review of applications along with other papers, as required by the role, and provide feedback and contribute to general discussion of the merits of each at the meeting.
• regularly attend meetings and to be an active member of the panel.
• contribute to discussions and decision-making that takes place during meetings, drawing on overall knowledge and experience, and with consideration of the papers provided.
• participate in appropriate training, development and support activities.
• declare any conflict of interest in accordance with the protocols of the panel and as instructed by the Chair.
• maintain the confidentiality of agenda papers, discussion and decisions made.
• liaise promptly with the Faculty admin team regarding all administrative matters relating to the meeting, such as submission of reviews, commitment to meeting dates and confirming attendance.
• support the panel chair in contributing to supporting researcher career development

Time commitment and location
It is proposed that members would be involved in at least one award panel per year. The majority of panel meetings will be held virtually, however some panels will meet face-to-face and these meetings will be held in Cardiff. There will be preparation time needed prior to meetings to review and score applications. Meetings could last for up to a full day or two half days depending on award and the stage of the assessment process. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion
As the Faculty is committed to a supportive, inclusive, and positive community, equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to our values and vital to our success. As part of our recruitment processes, we require all panel members and applicants to complete an equality, diversity and inclusion monitoring form.

Training
All members will be expected to complete training in equality, diversity and inclusion and unconscious bias, as well as training on the assessment process before being able to participate in panel meetings. 

How to apply
To be involved in this exciting opportunity please read the information on:

• the assessment process
• dates of panels
• information on our personal awards

before you complete the expression of interest form. If you have any questions, please email the Faculty team at research-faculty@wales.nhs.uk. 

To apply, please complete the Health and Care Research Wales Faculty Panel Membership Expression of Interest form