Applied Biostatistics Consulting Centre (ABCc)

This centre at UL has been set up within the Statistical Consulting Unit (SCU) and it is directed by Dr Jean Saunders (Executive Director SCU).

The centre ABCc has been set up to provide help with designing and analysing medical or health related research. However, staff can still be approached through the main SCU and will be referred as appropriate. If you are looking for the CSTAR services at UL then again you can initially approach SCU staff.

These consultancy services are already being provided by the SCU to HSE Mid-West/West and Southern Staff and these arrangements will be extended through the ABCc. The SCU is already involved in various research projects in collaboration with the HSE. As part of CSTAR it will also perform and increase its own research with a blend of methodological and collaborative projects.

The ABCc/CSTAR service and its UL collaborators i.e. Health Systems Research Centre (HSRC) and the Strategic Healthcare Management Research Group (SHMRG) as well as the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) (part of the HSE and based within St Camillus Hospital, Limerick) all have extensive experience in consultancy/advisory work.

The UL outreach site for CSTAR is to be based in the Applied Biostatistics Consulting Centre (ABCc), which in turn is part of the Statistical Consulting Unit (SCU) and this will continue with statistical and research methodology consultancy services presently offered to the HSE and others in the west and south of the country and others who require its services under the current arrangement. The SCU is currently based in a large office within the main building at UL (room for 3-4 PCs and desks plus a meeting space). It also has an office at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.

The SCU/ABCc and its UL collaborators within CSTAR will fill the gap for researchers needing advice as it has done for the last 10 years. Advice and training has been available to the HSE for the last 10 years and this will continue in the SCU contribution to CSTAR giving continued advice on the entire research process from study design, grant application, and ethical approval through critical appraisal of the literature, project management, field work, data analysis and interpretation (qualitative and quantitative) to the final dissemination of results.

Activities and Access

All health researchers will be able to access expert advice through the SCU/ABCc at UL.

For specific consultancy advice initial contact will be by telephone/email. The first contact will always be an experienced consultant. A support person will respond within one day, with further contacts as required. The Limerick centre can provide face-to-face consultation, and regular 'Drop-in' clinics will be held once or twice a month.

Regular courses ranging from a half-day duration to a one-week Summer School type structure will be organised in the UL CSTAR centre and courses will be delivered from the UL centre nationally if there is demand. E-Learning support will also be available for these courses where appropriate (See main SCU website for details of courses presently offered or click on the 'CSTAR@UL Training Schedule' button at the top of this page).