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How to Apply

Research Priorities

Does your proposed research address one of the top research priorities identified for hand therapy and hand surgery?

  • Which hand therapy techniques enable the most efficient return to full function following surgery or injury?
  • What are the best ways to measure patient reported outcomes in common hand conditions?
  • Can scar formation be manipulated after surgery/trauma?
  • What are the most effective interventions following nerve injury?
  • Is surgery better than placebo in the treatment of common hand conditions?
  • Which conditions require surgery versus therapy versus no treatment?
  • What are the best non-operative treatments for early osteoarthritis?
  • When is surgery needed for acute wrist ligament injuries?
  • What are the best strategies for the treatment of Dupuytren’s disease?
  • What are the most effective treatments for painful, stiff joints?

These research priorities were developed in collaboration with the James Lind Alliance, the British Society for Surgery of the Hand, patients and carers. Full details can be found here: http://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/bssh_james_lind_alliance_partnership.aspx.

The BAHT research grant is not limited to applications that address one of these research priorities, but we strongly recommend ensuring that your research question addresses an unmet clinical need.

Application Process

  1. Download the Guidance Notes and Application Form.
  2. Submit application form electronically on our Apply page by 1st February, ensuring that you submit one full application and one anonomised copy (to forward to reviewers). Late applications will not be considered.
  3. You will receive an email acknowledgement on its receipt.
  4. Your application will be forwarded to 3 peer reviewers who will aim to review your application within 6 weeks of receiving it. Their comments will be returned to the Clinical Evidence Committee (CEC). Click here to view the grant reviewers.
  5. You will receive an e-mail from the CEC giving details of the reviewer’s comments and they may asked to complete amendments to your application form and to resubmit to the CEC.
  6. Depending on the nature and extent of the revisions, your application will either be returned back to the original reviewers or will be reviewed by the CEC.
  7. We aim to notify you via e-mail of the outcome within 6 weeks of the original submission to the CEC.
  8. Projects must be completed within 24 months.
  9. We will encourage all successful applicants, on completion of their research project, audit or service evaluation, to submit an abstract to the annual BAHT conference in either a poster of free paper format.
  10. If you have any questions about the BAHT research grant, please email Email not available without JavaScript

Research Grant Application Criteria

  • BAHT have a sum of £20,000 per year to award to one or more of its members, to fund research activity.
  • This research activity can be a research project, audit or service evaluation and must be related to the hand or upper limb. The project must also be completed within 2 years.
  • Applicants must be a full member of BAHT, registered for at least one year before applying for funding.  Associate BAHT members are not eligible.
  • There is no upper or lower limit to the amount that can be requested. An applicant can request the full £20,000 or any denomination of this amount depending on the needs of the project.
  • The award can be given to one or multiple successful applicants so long as the total awarded does not exceed £20,000
  • The money can be used to fund salary costs, staffing cover, equipment, patient expenses, meetings, research related admin/stationery (printing/photocopying etc) but must not be used to fund MSc module or course fees. Please refer to BAHT’s bursary scheme for this.
  • On completion of the project, grant awardees should disseminate their findings to the BAHT membership via the Clinical Evidence Committee. This may include social media posts and inclusion on the BAHT website and in the e-bulletin. We also encourage you to produce an abstract for the BAHT conference. Should you wish to seek publication of your research, it is a requirement of the BAHT Research Grant that you submit your manuscript to Hand Therapy for first refusal.  You must acknowledge the funding received from BAHT in all outputs related to the funded project (posters, presentations, publications etc.). Please use the following disclosure statement: "This work was funded by a British Association of Hand Therapists’ (BAHT) Research Grant. This work reports independent research and the views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of BAHT."

  • The amount awarded to successful applicants is final, any additional costs arising from their research activity will not be covered by BAHT.
  • Any underspend on BAHT research grants should be returned to BAHT at the end of the project.
  • Successful applicants must submit a progress report to BAHT CEC annually and on completion of their project.
  • Successful applicants must agree to their details being shown on a database of research awards winners which will be on the BAHT website.