The HTA programme aims to support research to deliver information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests for those who plan, provide or receive care in the NHS. It is the largest of the NETSCC programmes with a predicted annual funding budget by 2011 of £88m.

The term 'health technology' covers a range of methods used to promote health, prevent and treat disease and improve rehabilitation and long term care. It can cover the use of:

• Drugs
• Devices
• Procedures
• Settings of care
• Screening
  

The stream takes technologies that have been shown to work and answers the questions:

• What is the cost
• What and how big is the group of people it will help
• How does the new technology compare with the alternatives

A typical trial is multidisciplinary and multi centred; has effectiveness and cost effectiveness that will go to NICE; is pragmatic and externally valid to the whole NHS; median of 700 participants; average duration 4-5 years and an average price of £1.5 million.

Who it's for:
Anyone who considers that they can carry out high-quality health-related research, and who is prepared to submit a proposal is likely to be eligible. Applicants from non-academic or non-clinical sectors are strongly advised to consider collaborating with these sectors in their application

Funding:
There is no fixed amount of money or maximum length for a research project, however projects must demonstrate value for money to the NHS. Pilots are possible and internal pilots are welcome within the study. Although there is no fixed length to a project it is common for trials to run for 5 years and a 10 year trial is not unusual. The programme commissions research three ways:

• Standard calls - for specific topics
• Clinical evaluation and trials calls  - for researcher proposed topics
• Themed calls - one off call for proposals where a particular need has been identified

Process:
Research submissions are first made in outline, with shortlisted research teams invited to submit full proposals for consideration by the Board. The first stage focuses on the design and feasability of a study and the second stage will focus more on what you intend to do with the collected data. There is an 8 week turn around between 1st stage success and 2nd stage submission so you will need to have the full application more or less figured out before you submit the 1st stage. HTA chooses the referees from their group of recognised experts. It can take over a year to get the final outcome of the full applications. Commissioned stream calls always fund at least 1 as the brief is very tight. Once through the first stage researcher led calls have a 25% chance of funding.

Criteria:
Health technology covers a range of methods used to promote health, prevent and treat disease and improve rehabilitation and long term care. The project will need to address NHS an priority area and be portfolio balancing.
Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

• The project will lead to a reduction in uncertainty
• The project will result in measurable health gains and/or benefits for the NHS (show it's an NHS priority and the scale of the problem)
• A good literature review is vital to show how important the question is to the NHS
• A team with the right mix of skills and experience for the research question
• A trial manager is needed if you are running a trial
  
• Value for money (time and cost)
• A clearly stated hypothesis
• An appropriate and robust research design
• Ethical, legal and social implications of the research have been considered

HTA Website