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Cross-border Healthcare Intervention Trials in Ireland Network (CHITIN)

INTERREG VA Programme – An update for the R&D Strategic Advisory Group

The INTERREG VA Programme is an EU cross-border funding programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), a North/South Implementation body sponsored by the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).  The defined area, NI and the border region of the ROI (Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth) share common features with other border areas across Europe where developmental problems are exacerbated by the existence of borders.

Health and Social Care (HSC) is a priority of the programme (ERDF value: €53m), aiming through cross-border collaboration to improve the health and well-being of people living in the region by enabling them to access HSC services in the most appropriate setting to their needs.  The HSC priority contributes to national, regional and local development, reducing inequalities in terms of health status, promoting social inclusion through improved access to social, cultural and recreational services and the transition from institutional to community-based services.

As part of the programme, funding of €8.8m for the Cross-border Healthcare Intervention Trials in Ireland Network (CHITIN) project (including 15% contribution from the DoH in both NI and ROI) has been awarded to the HSC Research & Development Division (HSC R&D) of the Public Health Agency in NI (Lead Partner) and to the Health Research Board (HRB) in the ROI (the Partners) to “develop infrastructure and deliver cross-border area health care intervention trials for novel but unproven healthcare interventions to prevent and cure illness”.

Through this funding, €7m has been committed by the Partners to fund cross-border Healthcare Intervention Trials (HITs). The HIT teams funded will form the network wherein mentoring, training and skills development will be supported, creating a legacy for future research in the region.

In 2017 the Partners issued a joint, open and competitive funding call in order to enable selection of the constituent HITs of the CHITIN project with a focus on the priority areas of Population health, Primary Care and Older People’s Services, Mental Health, Acute Services, Disability Services and Children’s Services.

We expect to update the HSC research community soon on details of HITs that have been successfully awarded.

Dr Janice Bailie (Responsible Officer, HSC R&D)
Dr Anne Cody (Responsible Officer, HRB)
 
CHITIN Project Management Group
 
Dr Rhonda Campbell (CHITIN Programme Manager)
 
Ms Joanne O’Neill (CHITIN Support Manager)
Vacant (CHITIN Administrator)
 
For information about the CHITIN Project;
Email chitinproject@hscni.net or call 028 9536 3387.