Grant: SPOR SUPPORT Unit Phase II - Newfoundland and Labrador

The CIHR will provide funds for researchers and patients to work together as a team with the goal of improving health care in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). A unit of professional staff from Memorial University's School of Medicine called NL SUPPORT will continue to support researchers and patients in health research. NL SUPPORT has been building, fostering and promoting partnership between patients, researchers, clinical staff, and decision makers since 2014. Patient engagement has grown because of the Strategy for Patient-Orient Research (SPOR) Phase I with the first patients engaged in 2015. Memorial is applying for the current grant, SPOR Phase II. SPOR II will provide NL SUPPORT with money to continue to create opportunities for patient engagement in health research. NL SUPPORT will use the money to improve and expand training, data collection and Knowledge Translation (KT). KT means that decision makers, health professionals, researchers and patients are involved in making the best use of the results of health research potentially resulting in positive change for the future of our health care. Through continuing cycles of research, evaluation and KT, NL SUPPORT will work to support a Learning Health System. NL SUPPORT will ensure equity, diversity and inclusion in the research that we support through training. We will continue to build patient engagement with researchers that will promote positive outcomes in medical research and enhance future health. We will support researchers and patients with improved training and resources to give patients a voice in health research. We will collect and maintain information on the use of health care and the health conditions of the patients. This information will be used by researchers, patient partners and policy makers involved in the management and the future of the health care system. We will share the knowledge through continued communication with researchers, patients, decision makers and the public.