Statistical Support Services
Based within the Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, SSS is available to staff from GOS ICH and GOSH and provides statistical support to researchers contributing to the maintenance of high standards of published research within the joint institution.
We advise on the statistical aspects of proposals or current projects. This may include any of the following:
| Study Design | Grant applications |
| Sample Size calculations | Statistical Analysis |
| Ethics Committee applications | Writing reports |
| CRAC applications | Full Collaboration and Publication |
We encourage researchers to consult a statistician early in the planning stage of a project, ideally we should become involved at the Grant preparation stage. If the statistical component is substantial and/or non-standard, we may become a named co-investigator.
Study design
Study design is an essential aspect of medical research. Our training and experience enable us to help you with the design and conduct of trials and surveys, for example Design, Sample Size calculations, organisation of data and plans for Statistical Analysis.
Statistical analysis
We can advise on the most appropriate methods of statistical analysis, and once the data has been collected can guide the investigator through the necessary procedures. Generally, researchers are expected to carry out the analysis themselves.
Online training for the statistics packages SPSS and Stata is available for UCL staff through the UCL Staff Learning resource. Further information about SPSS licensing is available through Information Services Division. Alternatively, where we feel that the appropriate analysis is not straightforward and a relatively complex analysis is needed, we may offer to collaborate in the analysis more directly, and funding will be required for this.
The institute runs several statistics courses:
Authorship
To ensure the career development of the SSS statisticians, it is important that they are offered authorship for their consultancy work where appropriate. A statistician who has contributed either to the design or the analysis of a study has made a significant contribution.
Where the statistician is not an author but is to be acknowledged, in either a paper or the statistics section of an ethical submission, their permission must be obtained first.
ICH/GOSH Staff
ICH/GOSH staff should submit a Statistical Advice Request Form.
We aim to respond to any queries within 5 working days.
If you experience any problems in submitting the Statistical Advice Request Form then please contact our administrator on x 42340.
External Requests
Please contact ich.sss@ucl.ac.uk with details of your project and input required for a quotation.
Important Guidelines
If a statistician is to be named on any publication, including grant applications and ethics forms, then prior permission MUST be obtained.
The full document on which their name is to be included, MUST be submitted with at least one week's notice to ensure the statistician has sufficient time to review and approve the document.
- Meetings normally take place in the statistican's office in ICH, but alternatively can be in a meeting room in GOSH or your own room, if required.
- At the initial consultation you should outline the whole project. Please bring a description of the data to be collected, along with any other relevant information (e.g. details of previous studies).
- Do please give the statistician adequate time to do justice to your work. If you have a deadline please discuss this with the statistician well in advance. SSS cannot be responsible for deadlines missed on this account.
- If you are a junior research student your supervisor MUST be present when you meet the statistician.
- Where a statistician has made an appropriate contribution to the project, it is expected that they will be offered co-authorship. Authorship guidelines can be found on our homepage.
Qualifying Research
All research projects in the joint institution are expected to be registered with the R&D Office, and this is a requirement for projects seeking support from SSS. In addition researchers developing a grant application seek statistical support on the understanding that they will include the full funds to pay for it in the application.
External non-commercial research charged at the hourly rate also qualifies.
| Statistical Advice Request Form | ICH/GOSH Staff Statistical Advice Request Form |
Recent and Current Projects
Statisticians from SSS are co-applicants on numerous successful grants from funders such as NIHR, British Heart foundation and GOSHcc.
We are co-applicants on a NIHR funded study investigating the long-term outcomes of adult patients who underwent Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for primary immunodeficiency during childhood. (https://www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/PB-PG-0215-36145)
British Heart Foundation: Using National Congenital Heart Diseases Audit data to explore the impact of non-medical risk factors on late post-operative outcomes for children with complex congenital heart defects.( https://www.bhf.org.uk/research-projects/2018/04/03/12/47/using-national-congenital-heart-diseases-audit-data-to-explore-the-impact-of-nonmedical-risk-factors-on-late-postoperative-outcomes-for-children-with-complex-congenital-heart-defects)
Working with a team led by members of the cardiac unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital, we are co-applicants on a GOSHcc project to explore neurodevelopment at age two in paediatric cardiac surgery patients: exploring pathways to improve outcomes and follow-up.
We are working with NICE providing advice and support for a Managed Access Agreement investigating Ataluren for treating nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy (nmDMD). (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/hst3/resources/managed-access-agreement-july-2016-pdf-2553024061)
About Us
Based within the UCL GOS Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH) and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), we have extensive experience in providing Statistical Support Services, Study Design, Analysis and Collaboration throughout ICH, GOSH, UCL and externally.
Staff
Director: Deborah Ridout Senior Research Fellow in Biostatistics.
Research Assistant: Mohammed Moinuddin
Where are we based?
We are based at GOS ICH and GOSH. The nearest underground station is Russell Square on the Piccadilly line. Also Holborn, Euston and Kings Cross stations are all within easy walking distance.
Statistical Support Services
Charges & Forms
Contacts
- Director & Senior Research Fellow in Biostatistics: Deborah Ridout
- Research Assistant: Mohammed Moinuddin
- Email: ich.sss@ucl.ac.uk
UCL GOS Institute of Child Health
30 Guilford Street
London WC1N 1EH