The British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) invites applications for funding to support the development of national consensus statements in two priority areas of adult critical care nursing practice
Development of Consensus Statements
Development of Consensus Statements
Call for Applications
The British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) invites applications for funding to support the development of national consensus statements in two priority areas of adult critical care nursing practice:
- Oral Care in Critical Care
- End of Life Care in Critical Care
These consensus statements will support evidence-informed, standardised, and person-centred practice across UK critical care services.
Background and Rationale
High-quality, consistent care in critical care settings relies on clear guidance informed by the best available evidence and expert consensus.
- Oral care in Critical Care remains a fundamental yet variable aspect of critical care nursing practice, with implications for patient comfort, safety, and outcomes.
- End of Life Care in Critical Care presents unique and complex clinical, ethical, emotional and communication challenges, requiring high‑quality, compassionate, safe, and consistent care..
BACCN recognises the need for contemporary, nurse-led consensus statements to support clinicians, educators, and services in delivering optimal care in these areas.
Aims of the Grant
The grant aims to support multidisciplinary, nurse-led groups to:
- Develop robust, evidence-informed consensus statements
- Reflect current best practice and address gaps or variation in adult critical care
- Develop guidance that is relevant, practical, and applicable across UK critical care settings
- Strengthen the nursing voice in national critical care guidance
Scope of Work
Applicants should propose a structured programme of work that includes:
- A review of the existing evidence base using an appropriate methodology and methods (e.g. systematic, scoping, or umbrella review)
- A clearly defined methodology for achieving consensus (e.g. Delphi process, nominal group technique, expert panel review)
- Engagement with relevant and diverse stakeholders (e.g. Healthcare professionals, charities, public representatives, patients and families)
- Production of a final consensus statement suitable for dissemination through BACCN and peer-reviewed publication
- Presentation of findings at a BACCN conference or event
Applicants may apply for one or both topics (£20 000 per topic)
Eligibility
Applications are welcome from:
- Registered critical care nurses working in clinical practice, education, research, or leadership
- Multidisciplinary teams, provided the work is nurse-led
- At least one member of the team should have a PhD in a healthcare related field
- At least one member of the team should be a BACCN member
- Applicants must be based in the UK
Early career researchers and first-time applicants are encouraged to apply, with appropriate mentorship and support arrangements described.
Funding Available
- Up to £20 000 per project
- Funding may be used to support:
- Project coordination and administration
- Meetings (including virtual platforms)
- Stakeholder engagement activities
- Literature review support
- Dissemination costs
- Open-access publication costs
Funding cannot be used for salary backfill or equipment purchases.
Expected Outputs
Funded projects will be expected to deliver:
- Draft report of the review of the evidence base
- Draft consensus statement- which will require final review and sign off from BACCN before publication on BACCN website
- Draft report of the consensus statement suitable for publication in Nursing in Critical Care Journal- which will require final review and sign off from the BACCN before submission to the journal
- Summary document suitable for lay persons
- A summary document suitable for BACCN members
- An end-of-project report to BACCN
Project Timeline
- Projects are expected to commence within 3 months of award
- Completion anticipated within 12 months
- A clear project plan and milestones must be included in the application
Application Process
For each project, applicants should submit:
- A completed application form
- A project proposal (maximum of 3000 words), including:
- Background and rationale
- Proposed methodology/ methods
- Proposed strategy for ensuring equitable, diverse and inclusive stakeholder engagement
- Project team and roles
- Timeline and milestones
- Detailed Costs and justification
- CVs of the lead applicant and key team members
Applications should be submitted electronically to support@baccn.org by:
Closing date: 16:00 1st September 2026
Application Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be reviewed by a panel appointed by the BACCN against the following criteria:
- Aim and scope
- Methodological rigour
- Multidisciplinary and stakeholder involvement
- Expertise of the team
- Feasibility and workplan
- Outputs
- Value for money
- Ethics and governance
More details may be found here: Evaluation Criteria
Further Information
For informal enquiries, please contact:
Dr. Louise Stayt (BACCN Research and Academic Lead) at support@baccn.org
