HEALTH-SERVICES RESEARCH IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM 1990-1992

Background. Shortly before the National Health Service (NHS) research and development (R&D) strategy was launched in April 1991, the Departm ent of Health commissioned a study to collect information on current h ealth services research and related work in the United Kingdom. The te rm 'health services research' was interpreted as research that could u sefully inform the contracting arrangements in the reformed NHS. Metho ds. The information was collected from funding agencies, in particular the UK health departments, the Medical Research Council and medical r esearch charities; academic departments and research units and centres ; NHS authorities; and research registers and directories. A total of 6185 projects that were either in progress or completed between Januar y 1990 and mid-1992 were identified. Results. Forty-three per cent of projects were disease related; 33 per cent assessed health technologie s. Patterns were evident in the database. Sixty-three per cent of the projects on diseases were covered by five categories: cancer, the larg est category with a quarter of the disease projects; perinatal medicin e; cardiovascular disease and stroke; HIV and AIDS; and mental illness . Conditions that cause severe discomfort but are not life threatening were poorly represented. Clinical trials formed 25 per cent of the he alth technology projects, but only 6 per cent of the trials assessed s urgical procedures. Less than 10 per cent of all health technology pro jects contained a costing component. In England, 34 per cent of projec ts with identified funding sources were supported by medical charities and other independent bodies, 31 per cent by NHS authorities, 20 per cent by the Department of Health and 15 per cent by the research counc ils. Conclusion. This collection of information represents a 'snapshot ' of the scope of health services research against which it will be po ssible to measure the changes promoted by the NHS R&D programme.