Update to ICT Costing Tool
Date: 25 May 2022
Primary Care functionality updates to the interactive Costing Tool (iCT)
Functionality changes have been made to the NIHR’s commercial interactive Costing Tool (iCT) in order to improve usability of the system for the primary care community.
Following a review of the commercial costing tool by a working group, comprising colleagues across primary care and different regions, a number of recommended changes have now been made. As a result, primary care costs are more accurately reflected in the tool – improving the accuracy of the tool for use in primary care.
The changes below were implemented in April 2022:
- Indirect Costs have been standardised at 70% for all settings (this was previously only the case for secondary care)
- Medical out-of-hours costs are now included specifically for primary care (previously only available for pharmacy)
These changes have been made as part of ongoing work within the NIHR Clinical Research Network’s Primary Care Strategy Strategic Engagement and Incentivisation theme, which aims for research to become seen as mainstream work as widely as possible across primary care, and to be incentivised and promoted accordingly. Ensuring systems are fit-for-purpose, such as improving the commercial interactive Costing Tool (iCT), significantly helps to ensure that primary care staff can undertake research cost effectively. The CRN Primary Care Programme is continuing and more detail can be found on the NIHR Primary Care specialty page.