Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association

Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1111382).

The OAA promotes the highest standards of anaesthetic practice in the care of mother and baby, and it supports research, projects and professional development that promote quality improvement and better safety in maternity care. Each year it offers up to three medium research, quality improvement and innovation grants of up to £20,000, up to 10 travel and education bursaries of up to £1,000 each, and up to five Annual Scientific Meeting Bursaries of up to £1,000 each to overseas doctors. Its large research grants go up to £100,000. Its annual report gives £36,324 awarded in one year.

Priority Areas

The OAA supports research, projects and professional development that promote quality improvement and better safety in maternity care. Its research, quality-improvement and innovation grants focus on all aspects of obstetric anaesthesia, including original research, education, training, patient safety and other care compatible with its core activities; benefits are expected to be appreciated at regional or national level. Applications are considered from anaesthesia departments with an OAA member who has the required membership standing and a substantial contribution to the project. The OAA also offers travel and education bursaries to members presenting or delivering educational work in obstetric anaesthesia, and meeting bursaries for overseas doctors presenting accepted abstracts. Institutional grants support research into mothers’ and babies’ care, while individual awards help practitioners and doctors take part in education and professional meetings.

Themes

• Research in obstetric anaesthesia
• Quality improvement
• Innovation
• Professional development
• Maternity safety
• Education and training
• Patient safety

Geographic Focus

UK; Ireland.

For the Medium research, quality improvement and innovation grants, departments of anaesthesia can apply by completing the application form and emailing it to the OAA Research and Grants Subcommittee chair. Applications are assessed by the subcommittee and, where appropriate, by expert external peer review.

Deadlines: Applications to the annual Medium grant round have a closing deadline.

Who can apply:

• Medium research, quality improvement and innovation grants
  • Applications will be considered from departments of anaesthesia where at least one applicant from the group is a current member of the OAA of at least 12 months standing. That member, along with all the other applicants, must have a significant and substantial contribution to the conception, design or delivery of the project.
  • If the project lead investigator is a trainee anaesthetist, it is expected that supervision from an experienced investigator working in the same department will be provided.
• Travel and education bursaries: Applicants must have been OAA members for at least one year at the time of application (in exceptional circumstances, applications from members of less than one year will be considered if accompanied by a letter of support from a member of at least one year’s standing).

What to send:

• Medium research, quality improvement and innovation grants
  • A thorough description of how the funds will be spent.
  • Where appropriate, confirmation (with documentation) that the proposed project has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee or has been sent for approval.
• Large research grants
  • An outline of how the funds will be spent.
  • An outline of the costings.
  • Confirmation (with documentation) that the proposed project has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee or has been sent for approval.
• Travel and education bursaries
  • Full name, title, OAA membership number, institution and mailing address of the applicant.
  • An outline of the meeting/course/project, venue and host organisation.
  • An explanation of the applicant’s contribution to the meeting/course/project.
  • A detailed breakdown of the costs and their justification.
  • A list of all other sources of funding sought or obtained, or a declaration that none others exist.
  • An undertaking to provide a written report on return from the meeting, course or project.
  • For a grant to aid a specific overseas venture: a list of all other personnel who would be involved in the project, including the (senior) person who will be responsible for ensuring its completion.
  • For a grant to aid a specific overseas venture: the names of two referees; at least one should be an OAA member and one should be a non-trainee colleague.
• Annual Scientific Meeting bursaries
  • The applicant’s curriculum vitae.
  • A copy of the accepted abstract.
  • Projected travel and accommodation costs.
  • A letter from the applicant’s Head of Department confirming the applicant’s suitability for the meeting, current annual salary and that there are no local sources of funding available to the applicant.

What the charity says:

• Projects should be relevant to obstetric anaesthesia and have benefits likely to be appreciated at regional or national level.
• The applicant member must have at least 12 months’ OAA membership and all applicants must contribute substantially to the project’s conception, design or delivery.
• The Research and Grants Subcommittee assesses applications and may use expert external peer review; it may decline applications that do not meet its standard.
• Successful recipients must report to the OAA within two years; progress reports are required annually if the project is unfinished.