Why Research Matters
Research provides the evidence needed by the public, patients, clinicians and policy makers for innovation, decision-making and quality improvement in health care.
Research in ophthalmology and visual sciences improves the health, well-being and the wealth of people and societies by providing the knowledge and understanding that is required to inform. Key research areas include:
- Prevention of eye/vision conditions
- Diagnosis and treatment of eye/vision conditions
- Organisation and delivery of health and social care services for people with eye/vision conditions
- Organisation and delivery of services to minimise the broader impact of eye/vision conditions and support people with visual disability
- Promotion of visual health, vision related quality of life and well being
Did you know….
- NHS England has a legal duty to promote research and the use of research evidence in the NHS via the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (Section 13L). (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/7/section/23/enacted)
- Patient outcomes are better in research active hospitals/organisations. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4342017/) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27797935)
- Medical research is the UK’s most popular charitable cause. (https://www.mrc.ac.uk/publications/browse/a-healthy-future-for-uk-medical-research/)
- Industry invests over £5 billion annually on health research.
- Medical research can be very cost effective, providing a sizeable return on investment – estimates suggest each pound invested in research (cancer, cardiovascular disease or mental health) can return around 40 pence to the UK every year in terms of health benefits and ‘spillover’ effects to the wider economy (https://wellcome.ac.uk/sites/default/files/wtp056595_0.pdf)
- The UK ranks second in the world for Nobel Prizes in biomedical research (34 Nobel Laureates to date)