Ethical funding policy
A HEXI or DIPEx International compatible study is based on a national, qualitative sample of interviews which are collected, analysed and presented on a public- facing, non-commercial platform. This resource is intended to be freely available for the benefit of patients and the public, teachers, policy makers and those who deliver health and care services.
The main sources of funding for studies conducted by HEXI and members of the DIPEx International collaboration are research and fellowship grants from government research funding schemes, foundations and charities. These grant applications are typically written to include a cost ‘line’ for dissemination on our public- facing platforms. This combination of rigorous qualitative research and free to use public dissemination is core to the work of HEXI and DI.
Absolutely no advertising is allowed on the platforms run by HEXI or members of the DI collaborators.
HEXI and DI members are sometimes offered funding to support these research projects through other routes – for example donations by individuals or particular philanthropists, such ‘philanthropic contributions should by definition have ‘no strings attached’ and can usually be gratefully accepted on this basis.
Educationalists, government organisations, voluntary sector, service providers or trainers may offer to support the research team on a ‘fee for service’ basis, perhaps to write a report, prepare a catalyst film for service improvement or to select clips for a specific training purpose. While access to the material on the platform is free for all users, additional research time may be needed to select, analyse or prepare material for a specific use. It would be reasonable for the team to charge a fee for such work.
Commercial organisations
Occasionally a commercial organisation may express an interest in funding the research and/or the online platform. Because the country-specific platforms serve as a source of independent information and support for patients and members of the public, HEXI and DI collaborating groups recognise the need for clear (and clearly stated) independence from commercial interests in the health and care sector.
HEXI and DI collaboration research groups therefore never accept funding from industries closely allied to health and care.
Organisations in other (i.e., non-health) sectors may offer to fund some aspects of the research and the dissemination platforms, but HEXi and DI members should be very cautious about the nature of these contracts/ agreements to avoid any real or apparent conflict of interests, especially if there are commercial interests.
As well as adhering to DI ethical funding each country team needs to ensure that they are only using the interviews (often copyrighted to the university where the research is led) as approved by the participants and funders. For example, in some countries (e.g., the UK) agreements with the research participants include an undertaking that the interview will not be used for ‘private profit or commercial gain’.