Sustainability in IPC Research grant

ACIPC recognises the importance of creating sustainable approaches to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices across healthcare and community settings.

IPC programs are designed to prevent and reduce the risk of transmission of infection for patients in healthcare and community settings. Existing IPC strategies focus on the use of isolation, transmission-based precautions, and the use of single-use and disposable items that contribute to the generation of substantial amounts of health-related waste, as well as significant economic, environmental, and social impacts.

The ACIPC Sustainability in IPC Research grant allows ACIPC members to undertake sustainability research to explore opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of infection prevention practices.

The objectives of this grant are to:

Develop an understanding of the impact of IPC on the environment, including;

• Economic – responsible use of resources
• Environmental – waste generation, carbon emissions,
• Social – responsibility including accountability and transparency

Provide ICP professionals an opportunity to develop evidence-based practice guidelines that support a sustainable approach to infection prevention and control practice

Identify sustainable IPC solutions that balance patient safety and environmental accountability, including;

• Cost-benefit analysis of IPC practices and sustainability
• Evaluations of products and the environmental impacts, e.g., compostable, biodegradable, chemical use including efficacy and environmental and health considerations.

The intended outcome of this research is to:

• To reduce the burden and environmental impact of IPC practices.
• Improve the health and wellbeing of communities within the Australasian region,

Closing date

The closing date for application is 4 October 2024.

Grant applications

Grant applications must be submitted as a single PDF document with the grant application cover page and required information attached. Visit the Research Grant Applications page for more information.

Research grant funding rules

The following rules apply to the Sustainability in Infection Prevention research grant.

Submission

Applications must be submitted to the ACIPC office, office@acipc.org.au, by the specified closing. You must attach supporting documentation to the application form in accordance with the instructions in the application form.

Withdrawal

Applicants may withdraw their application at any time in writing to the ACIPC office.

Incomplete, false or misleading applications

All details in the application must be current and accurate at the time of submission, including any current grants and other applications. Examples of false or misleading information include, but are not restricted to:

• Providing a dishonest statement regarding proposed time commitments to the research in the application.
• Providing fictitious track records
• Falsifying publication records, such as describing a paper as accepted for publication when it has only been submitted If at any time, ACIPC believes omissions or misleading information in an application was intentional, we may refer the matter for further action. This may include recourse to recover finds and relevant actions under the College’s constitution regarding ACIPC membership status.

Funding

ACIPC (in conjunction with additional funding partners*) is offering up to $70,000 across the Sustainability in IPC research grants.

• Proposals may be funded in whole or in part.
• Funding may be offered to multiple proposals.
• The amount of funds offered to any application is at the discretion of ACIPC.
• Any funding is based on our assessment and is at the discretion of ACIPC.
• Grant proposals requesting smaller sums of money are welcomed.
• Funding may be provided to successful applicants in a staged process, pending satisfactory progress reports and ethics approval.
• ACIPC funding is inclusive of staffing on-costs but does not include institutional levies or overhead fees.
• When part funding is offered, applicants will be contacted to determine the impact of any adjustments required to the research project.

Privacy

Documents containing personal information are handled and protected by ACIPC in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.

Eligibility criteria

Failure to comply with all the eligibility criteria will void the application.

• The chief investigator (CI) must have been a member of ACIPC for 12 months prior to the closing date.
• The majority of all investigators must have been members of ACIPC for 12 months prior to the closing date.
• Data collection for the proposed research must be undertaken in countries considered to be included within the Asia-Pacific region.
• The CI must not have previously held the position of CI for a successful ACIPC research grant application within the past three years.
• The CI must not be in receipt of named as CI on any current NHMRC, MRFF or ARC-related grant.
• The CI must be a clinician, or at least 30% of the research team must comprise of clinicians.

Evaluation process

The research, grants and scholarships committee will oversee the process for awarding and administrating grants. Grants will be reviewed on a peer-review-based process. The committee may engage external reviewers as part of this process or at any stage.

Where members of the research, grants and scholarship committees are applicants, they will be recused entirely and will not be involved in any related discussions. The inclusion of at least two external reviewers will be mandatory where one or more members of the research, grants and scholarships committee or an ACIPC director are applicants. A majority decision from the remaining members of the research, grants, and scholarships committee and external reviewers will determine successful applicants.

The decision on the awarding of grants is final. There is no right of appeal unless a procedural issue that could have adversely affected the decision made is identified. The applicant must submit an appeal in writing to the ACIPC Board of Directors within seven days of notification of the outcomes of the grant process.

Chief investigator (CI) and associate investigator (AI)

The CI is the project leader who will take the lead role in the conduct of the research and is responsible for the completion and lodgment of the application. An AI provides intellectual input into the research and whose participation warrants the inclusion of their names on publications. To be eligible for this application, the CI must be a clinician, or at least 30% of the research team must comprise of clinicians. For the purposes of this grant opportunity, a clinician is defined as an individual who holds a current Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) professional registration. A clinician researcher is defined as an individual who undertakes research relevant to their clinical role.

Authorship

All investigators must consent to be named investigators on this project. ACIPC may contact any named investigator to validate their role in the study.

Ethical considerations

All ACIPC funded research activities must comply with applicable guidelines, laws and approval requirements. Ethical and relevant regulatory approvals must be gained, and research conducted in accordance with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Progress reports and financial reports

Annual progress and financial reports will be required for each financial year by 1 September. More frequent reports may be requested. At the completion of the grant, a final report and financial acquittal will be required within six months after the period of funding ends. Failure to report within the timeframes may affect eligibility to apply for and receive future funding.

Dissemination of research results

ACIPC expects results from the funded research to be shared in a peer-reviewed journal and/or conference proceedings. For any peer reviewed publication, the initial submission must be to Infection, Disease and Health for right of first refusal. Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in all named investigators being excluded from being able to apply for any future research grants for a period of five years. The results from the funded research must also be submitted for consideration as an oral abstract at the ACIPC annual conference.

Acknowledgments

All publications and presentations must acknowledge ACIPC as a funding source. Duplicate and multiple applications Applicants are able to submit more than one application provided the proposal are not related. However, ACIPC will not award more than one grant to an individual CI in any one year.

Budget and applications for other funding

Applicants are able to seek funding from other organisations and institutions in addition to applying for this grant. This should be clearly indicated in the budget and application form. Where funding from other organisations or institutions is indicated in the budget, the applicant should make it clear whether this funding is confirmed or whether they intend to apply. In the case of the latter, the applicant should note the feasibility of the project in the absence of being awarded additional funding or support.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria and weight applied to each is provided below.

Sustainability in IPC research grant

• Quality of the project (45%)
• Significance of the project (35%)
• Chief investigator track record (10%)
• Research team track record and collaboration (10%)

Quality of the project

Reviewers will consider the strength of the proposed study design, setting, participants, data collection, data analysis, feasibility, budget, and timeframe of the study.

Significance of the project

Reviewers will consider the aims of the research in relation to sustainability and how the results will advance IPC knowledge. This will include how the results will impact practice, policy and future research. Reviewers will consider the plan for disseminating results.

Chief Investigator (CI)

Reviewers will consider the CI’s support of IPC activities, including:

• Research experience and skills
• Track record and potential to succeed
• Prizes, awards and conferences
• Publication record
• Impact of research to date

Involvement with ACIPC Research team and collaboration

Reviewers will consider:

• The research experience and skills of the research team
• Existing collaborations between the investigators
• How the skills of the research team address and support the project
• Collaboration with industry or other partner organisations Research Funding Partners*

ACIPC is committed to supporting innovative and collaborative research to facilitate better health outcomes. To achieve this, commercial contributions may be accepted to the grant fund. However, funding partners will not be involved in the assessment and selection of projects. Administration and governance of the research project responsibility for this will remain solely with the ACIPC board and where relevant, the research grants and scholarships committee.

View the full grant document here.

 

GAMA Healthcare

Platinum funding partner