About the SDO programme
The programme's goal is to identify, prioritise and refine the research needs of the NHS management community; to commission research that will be of great value to that community in shaping, influencing and contributing to decision-making; and in promoting the more effective use of research evidence alongside other forms of knowledge in their work.
The SDO programme produces independent research about the organisation and delivery of healthcare for NHS commissioners, providers of health care, partner organisations such as local authorities and the voluntary sector, and for users of health care. The SDO programme consults widely with these groups to identify the most important research questions to which the NHS needs answers. The programme commissions the research that meets these needs through different funding routes.
In April 2009 the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC), based at the University of Southampton, took on the management of the SDO programme. NETSCC is home to a growing number of research programmes managed on behalf of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). These currently include the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme, the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme, the NIHR Health Services Research (HSR) programme and the NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) programme. For more information visit the NETSCC website or download an information leaflet (pdf, 253kb).
The SDO programme final reports present independent research commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed in these reports are those of the author(s)and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
