Background

Demand for emergency and unscheduled care continues to rise relentlessly.  National UK and Welsh policy recommends change in service delivery to match the spectrum of clinical and social need of patients, but there is a lack of robust research based evidence about what works, for whom and about the costs of new models of care.  In response to this, The National Institute for Social Care and Health Research (NISCHR). has funded the Thematic Research network for emergency, UnScheduled, and Trauma care (TRUST).

TRUST objectives  

• Attract research funding
• Build capacity for research in emergency, unscheduled and trauma care
• Raise the profile of research in emergency, unscheduled and trauma care
• Work with policy makers, commissioners, service users and providers of emergency, unscheduled and trauma care to identify research questions and build proposals.
• Deliver research
• Disseminate research findings
• increase uptake of evidence based policy and care in Wales

TRUST activities

In order to meet these aims, TRUST focuses on three main areas of activity: developing research proposals; carrying out high quality research; and disseminating findings.  In each of these areas the principles of working collaboratively; identifying and utilising opportunities to build capacity for research and inclusion of service users are maintained.  TRUST works closely with other parts of the research infrastructure in Wales and England, in particular with the Swansea Clinical Trials Unit (WWORTH) and other Registered Research Groups e.g. Older People and Ageing Network.  TRUST maintains a high profile of current research through leadership and collaboration in National Institute of Health Research Portfolio studies and a strong record of publication