Research

Development of Evidence-Based Guidelines and Clinical Pathways for EGS:

• Lead the identification of key areas of research in Emergency General Surgery (EGS) through the James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP).
• Commission and support the development of evidence-based guidelines and clinical pathways in EGS, ensuring that research findings are translated into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

Promoting Sustainability in Surgical Practices:

• Collaborate with the Sustainability Lead to assess to assess areas of mutual interest and ensure that sustainability is integrated into surgical research and practice.
• Promote research that focuses on sustainability within the surgical field, ensuring that ASGBI remains at the forefront of sustainable surgical practices.

Elevating ASGBI’s International Presence:

• Work to increase ASGBI’s visibility on the international stage by producing meaningful research outputs, such as the JLA PSP, with ASGBI as a major stakeholder.
• Build and strengthen relationships with international organisations, including societies such as SAGES, to promote global collaboration and exchange of knowledge.

Expanding and Diversifying ASGBI Membership:

• Support the inclusion of early-career researchers in the committee to foster mentorship and access to research opportunities, ensuring the development of future research leaders.
• Encourage diversity within the research community, promoting opportunities for underrepresented groups in the field of surgery.

Strengthening Partnerships with BJS Academy:

• Collaborate with the British Journal of Surgery (BJS) Academy to extend the reach of ASGBI’s research, including hosting webinars that highlight key papers and relevant research findings.
• Expand cross-collaboration opportunities with BJS and other surgical societies to broaden the impact and visibility of ASGBI’s research.

Expanding ASGBI’s Research Portfolio:

• Work with the Surgical Specialty Leads (SSLs) to develop a research network that supports existing researchers and nurtures the next generation of EGS researchers.
• Foster partnerships with allied associations to fund and deliver high-quality research, including collaborative efforts to address critical research questions in EGS.

Supporting Multidisciplinary Research Teams:

• Organise and host annual research meetings, including sandpit sessions, to foster collaboration and form multidisciplinary research teams focused on overcoming challenges in delivering EGS trials.
• Encourage the development of collaborative research proposals that involve a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring a holistic approach to EGS research.

Building Sustainable Research Infrastructure:

• Support the establishment of infrastructure that enables ongoing research in EGS, ensuring that resources, funding, and opportunities are available for both current and future researchers.
• Promote the sustainability of EGS research by aligning with national and international funding streams and advocating for increased investment in EGS studies.

Monitoring and Reporting on Research Progress:

• Regularly report on the progress of key research initiatives, including the JLA PSP, EGS trials, and collaborations with international partners, to the ASGBI Council and other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure that research outcomes are disseminated widely, contributing to the advancement of surgical knowledge and improving patient care.

ASGBI offers two levels of research support for members conducting surgical research aligned with our mission.

ASGBI Supported (Level 1)

This entry-level support is available to up to 10 studies per year, for a 12-month period (renewable).

Includes:

• Up to 5 social media posts during the support year.
• Listing on the ASGBI Research Page.
• Mention in at least one ASGBI email per year.

ASGBI Adopted (Level 2)

A higher level of endorsement, offered to up to 5 studies per year for the full duration of the project (as defined in the application).

Includes all Supported-level benefits, plus:

• Opportunities to present at ASGBI congresses
• Featured in our online Research Spotlight

Eligibility

• Research must not have started (i.e. no IRAS or equivalent approvals yet).
• Two members of the research team must be ASGBI members (at least one trainee encouraged).
• The research must align with ASGBI’s aims.

Acknowledgement

Supported and Adopted projects should acknowledge ASGBI in all presentations and publications. A PDF of any published work should be submitted to the Research Committee. While this is not enforced, future applications may be declined if not followed.

Exemptions

In special cases, limited support may be granted (e.g. cross-organisation collaborations or ongoing studies). These exemptions must be approved by two Research Committee members and receive a single mention in the ASGBI newsletter.

Letters of Support

ASGBI can issue non-binding, generic support letters for funding applications where:

• The research is within ASGBI’s remit.
• At least two team members are ASGBI members.

Research at the ASGBI International Surgical Congresses

• Presenters may promote their own research within their talks or posters.
• Any additional research promotion (e.g. displays, ASGBI webpage) requires Executive approval and may incur costs.
• Only ASGBI-endorsed projects may state such in their presentations.

Surveys are a common and valuable research tool in surgery, helping explore attitudes and practices. However, many surveys suffer from low quality and methodological issues. To help improve this, ASGBI has a formal process to support high-quality surgical surveys while avoiding ‘survey fatigue’ among members.

Why Support Surveys?

Many researchers ask surgical societies to share their surveys. This can overwhelm members and reduce response rates, affecting survey quality and usefulness. ASGBI aims to balance supporting valuable research while protecting members from too many requests.

Eligibility and Process

• At least 2 researchers must be ASGBI members.
• Surveys must be submitted at least 4 weeks before opening. Surveys submitted after they start cannot be reviewed.
• The committee supports up to 10 surveys per year (reviewed annually).
• Surveys are reviewed for quality and importance before approval.

How ASGBI Supports

• Promotion in ASGBI weekly email (once before and once during the survey).
• Two social media posts from ASGBI promoting the survey.

Research teams are encouraged to submit a paper to the next ASGBI annual congress to present their work.

Review and Decision

The survey subcommittee evaluates each application based on research importance and quality standards. Decisions are final and communicated promptly. If the annual cap is reached, surveys may be deferred to the next year, with priority given to those of high importance.

Additional Notes

• Delphi studies are not considered surveys and should apply under ASGBI Research Support.
• Exceptional cases outside these criteria may be considered by the Research Committee.