Health Services and Policy Research Support Network

In March 2003, The Ministry of Health (then the Ministry of Health Services) granted $8 million to the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research to develop and implement initiatives for building BC's capacity to undertake excellent health services and policy research. Under the terms of the Transfer Agreement for the funds, the Ministry charged the Foundation with developing a planning process that would bring together the academic research community with the Ministry, the Health Authorities and the health service provider community to discuss and develop recommendations for programs that would achieve the following:

Fund research to evaluate changes in the health system
Build capacity for undertaking research into future health redesign and change initiatives
Leverage funding from other sources to further enhance research activities into health redesign and change initiatives

Development of a Health Services & Policy Research Support Network
Following a six-month consultation facilitated by MSFHR, representatives of the Ministry of Health Services, BC's six Health Authorities, the health services and policy academic research community, and the health services provider community developed the vision, mandate and goals for a BC Health Services & Policy Research Support Network. They also developed recommendations for action in three broad areas of capacity building and research. In a parallel process, the Ministry and the health authorities identified six priority research areas that would be the initial focus for Network funding programs. These recommendations and priorities were approved on January 16, 2004. For details: BC Health Services and Policy Research Support Network - A Report to Leadership Council

In March 2004, the Ministry endorsed the Network approach and progress, announcing an additional $8 million to augment Network activities and to support health care re-engineering and innovation in the health system. The Ministry also identified two additional priority areas: patient safety and clinical outcome measurement. For details: HSPRSN research priority areas.

A Health Services and Policy Research Support Network Steering Council was identified as the primary advisory body for the development and implementation of recommendations for specific HSPRSN programs to achieve approved capacity building and research goals. The Council met for the first time in March 2004 and over the next six months with the support of MSFHR developed guidelines for, received and held a formative review of capacity-building applications from BC's six Health Authorities. Funds to implement approved Health Authority capacity-building initiatives began in January 2005. The Network Steering Council also developed the principles and guidelines for two research funding competitions: one to support the development of Investigative Teams (infrastructure support) and an Operating Grants program to support research projects addressing the priority areas identified by the Ministry and Health Authorities. To leverage national funding, they established a Partnership Program to support BC researchers applying to national granting competitions. Background about these initiatives and the funding allocations to support their implementation are outlined in the HSPRSN November 2004 Update.

In March 2005, the Ministry of Health Services and the MSFHR Board of Directors approved a revised governance structure for the Network. The structure endorsed the consultation processes established by the Network for the development of recommendations and delegated to MSFHR the powers, duties, functions and decision authority to make grants from HSPRSN funds for approved activities. The Terms of Reference for the HSPRSN Steering Council were revised to reflect these changes.