Skin Breakdown
The Silent Epidemic

Skin Breakdown

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Frequently Asked Questions


Am I eligible to apply for an award?

The award is open to members of the nursing and midwifery professions, working in the UK, who hold active registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council. Applicants will need to be able to demonstrate a commitment to undertaking high quality research in the area of skin and tissue breakdown. Applicants with some previous experience in nursing research and a desire to undertake a PhD can apply for the Doctoral Scholarship. To be eligible to apply for the Post Doctoral Research Fellowship, you will need to have completed your PhD or be close to completion, in which case a provisional award will only be made subject to successful completion on time. It is expected that the award will be taken up within the academic year and awards cannot be deferred to a later date.

When do I apply?

The awards are usually advertised in March of each year with a closing date in May, at which point you will need to be in a position to submit application forms A & B, including a detailed research proposal and evidence of the support of an established research team, which needs to be completed by the Head of the Host Institution.

How do I apply?

There are two application forms to complete.

Application Form A should be completed by the applicant wishing to carry out the research leading to the award of a PhD. The information you will need to complete the form includes standard information such as your background, past appointments, research experience and training, any previous publications and training needs identified. You will also need to provide a detailed research proposal (see 'what should my research proposal include?'), contact details for two named supervisors who have agreed to oversee your PhD and two referees to support your application.

Application Form B should be completed by the Head of the Host Research Team. This means that you must have already established close links with a University department which is willing to support your application, including named supervisors. For your application to be viewed favourably, this will need to be a department with a proven track record of research and development in the area of skin and tissue breakdown. Your potential supervisors within the Host Research Team will be able to help you develop and refine your research proposal and will be asked to provide details of their research leaders, current research programme, and support they are able to offer you throughout the course of your doctoral studies. If you don't yet have links with a University department the Foundation may be able to help with details of such establishments.

What should my research proposal include?

You should have a firm idea of the research project you wish to carry out. The proposal you submit should include:

  • A brief description of the proposed project
  • Working title
  • Background literature and rationale for the project
  • Research aims and objectives
  • A detailed outline of the proposed plan of investigation for the project, including overall research design, sample details, data collection approaches and tools, planned data analysis, ethical issues, timescale and costings.

What influences the selection process?

The selection panel will be judging the application on its individual merits. For the doctoral scholarship, they will be looking for an applicant with a Master's degree or equivalent research experience, an interest in the area of skin and tissue breakdown and commitment to completing a PhD. The research proposal should be clearly defined and aim to make an original contribution to research in the field of skin and tissue breakdown. The panel will consider whether the proposal is realistic and achievable within the indicated time frame and costings and whether the methods are appropriate to answer the research question. Consideration will also be given to the merits of the host institution, its track record in the field of skin and tissue breakdown and the support they can provide to enable the successful completion of the research.

What happens if I am short listed?

If you are short listed you will be required to attend an interview with the selection panel in London, for which travelling expenses will be reimbursed. You will have to answer questions from the panel outlining your proposed research and may have to make a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation. You will be notified by telephone/letter regarding the outcome of interview.

What happens if I am successful?

You will be expected to take up the award within the academic year. The Foundation Coordinator will liaise with you and the Host Institution regarding a start date, contractual and funding arrangements.

Can I still undertake any clinical work?

The Foundation funds a full time PhD studentship over 3 years, which is the standard period of study, although completion of the process normally takes a further 6 months. The maximum time limit for submission is usually 4 years. Universities normally restrict the amount of paid work full-time students are able to undertake, but you are likely to be able to undertake a limited number of hours of teaching/professional work. The limits imposed may vary from university to university, but the allowance is unlikely to exceed a day a week. If you wish to undertake a full-time PhD, you may wish to negotiate with the University for the personal aspect of the award to be costed as a bursary rather than salary payment. For full-time students, bursary payments are tax free - your local tax office will be able to update you on earnings before tax, tax codes, etc, which could mean that your student income may not be much lower than your full-time salary.

The Foundation realises that for a number of reasons it may be difficult for applicants to opt out of the clinical scene into full-time research, therefore, applications for part-time study may be considered. It should be borne in mind that completing a PhD or Post-doc part-time will be very hard work and that other commitments will limit opportunities for training and development. It can also be difficult to sustain the momentum of the research over a sustained time period. A part-time PhD is usually undertaken over 5 years with the maximum time period for submission of 7 years.

Who can I contact if I have any further questions?

If you have any questions that are not answered here or in the Regulations then you can contact Barbara Foster, the Foundation Coordinator at the Smith & Nephew Foundation Email barbara.foster@smith-nephew.com Tel: +44 (0)1482 673250. If you wish to speak to one of the previous award winners about the process this can be arranged through the Foundation Coordinator.