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This guidance sets out what applicants need to consider when preparing and submitting business case proposals for ARC funding. Applications will be assessed against these requirements, and successful projects will be monitored and evaluated through quarterly updates.

Purpose

The ARC Academy is an all-Wales programme with the following aims:

  • To drive innovation in radiotherapy treatment, expedite the adoption of novel service developments, and widen access to state-of-the-art equipment across Wales.
  • To improve outcomes for cancer patients by enhancing quality of life and patient experience and reducing variation and inequality in the provision of radiotherapy services.
  • To support the training, recruitment, and retention of a skilled, multidisciplinary radiotherapy workforce in Wales.
  • To fund clinically focused radiotherapy research projects that deliver benefit to patients.

Criteria

All ARC applications must meet the following criteria. Applications not clearly addressing these may be delayed or rejected. Please get in touch with the ARC programme team if you require any assistance with your application or further information or clarity.

  1. Alignment with All-Wales Collaborative Principle
    • Projects must reflect collaborative working across Wales, or at least across multiple health boards or institutions.
    • Must aim to reduce variation and inequalities and improve patient experience and quality of life.
       
  2. Alignment with One or More of ARC’s Five Themes
    Your project must clearly map to at least one of these themes:
    • Supporting innovation in radiotherapy treatment (improvements in treatment or service)
    • Training the multi-disciplinary radiotherapy workforce across Wales
    • Clinically focused radiotherapy research projects
    • Expanding patient access to the SABR service
    • Expanding the stereotactic radiosurgery service

 

  1. Well-Developed Proposal Structure
    Applications must include:
    • Clear and measurable objectives, milestones, outcomes, and benefits which can be monitored on a quarterly basis.
    • A robust financial forecast, fully costed, with early engagement of the organisations’ Finance Lead.
    • A sustainable plan including exit strategy or transition into business as usual, or identification of alternative funding after the ARC period.
    • If relevant, recruitment plans that are ready to be actioned, using the defined recruitment process.
       
  2. Readiness and Feasibility
    • Demonstrate that once approved the project can commence on the specified start date without undue delay (e.g., staff recruitment is underway, equipment procurement planned).
    • Risk assessment and mitigation strategies are included.
       
  3. Support and Endorsement
    • Applications should have support from the applicant’s host organisation and provide a review by the Departmental Manager / Service Leads in section 1.1. This review should include reasons why the application is supported e.g. alignment to department strategic priorities, benefits it will deliver to service etc., to demonstrate the application has been reviewed and endorsed, and the department has the capacity to deliver the project within the timelines. The ARC project team will submit the business case to the relevant research and innovation committees, and the senior leadership team. Feedback will then be inserted into the application ready for submission to the ARC advisory group, and ARC board.
    • Business cases submitted by South-West Wales Cancer Centre (SWWCC) and North Wales Cancer Treatment centre (NWCTC) will need endorsement from the relevant RD&I governance committees in their organisation, with feedback and comments inserted into Section 1.1
    • Use of the current ARC business case template is required, please contact ARC.Academy@wales.nhs.uk to request the latest version.

Additional Guidance

1. Financial Planning

  • Engage Early with Finance Leads
    • Contact your local Finance team at the earliest stage.
    • Finance will provide accurate financial forecasting, full costings, and highlight any risks.
    • Incomplete or incorrect financial details may delay approval.
       

2. Sustainability and Exit Strategy

  • All applications must include a clear exit strategy, setting out a plan for when ARC Academy funding ends.
  • Options include:
    • Securing alternative funding (e.g. research grants, industry partnerships, charitable funds).
    • Absorbing the project into Business as Usual (BAU) if the benefits are proven.
    • Defining ownership and responsibilities for ongoing delivery.
       

3. Recruitment Considerations

If your project requires new staff, recruitment planning should begin before submitting your application. Recruitment is a frequent source of project delays.

Recruitment Process Guide:

  1. Produce a Job Description and Job Specification.
  2. Complete the relevant Scrutiny Panel Business Case Application Form.
  3. Send the Scrutiny Business Case Application, Job Description, and Person Specification to Finance.
    • Finance will complete their section and forward to Workforce/HR.
  4. Workforce/HR will review and submit to the next Scrutiny Meeting for approval.
  5. Once approved, you will be notified.
  6. Draft the Job Advert Text.
  7. Send Job Description, Person Specification, and Job Advert Text to Welsh Translation with the request form.
  8. Receive translated versions back.
  9. Enter the job onto the TRAC system (or equivalent).
    • Recruitment will then follow the standard TRAC/System process.

Tip: Start this process as early as possible to prevent delays once your project is approved.
 

4. Milestones, Outcomes, and Benefits

Projects must have clear, demonstrable objectives, milestones, outcomes, and benefits. These will form the basis of quarterly monitoring and evaluation.

  • Objectives – What the project intends to achieve.
    • Should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART).
    • Provide a clear statement of intent that links directly to one or more ARC themes.

Examples:

      • To develop and implement a new radiotherapy planning tool by Q4.
      • To increase patient access to SABR treatment in two health boards within 12 months.
      • To deliver a national training programme for therapeutic radiographers.
  • Milestones: Define key stages of your project (e.g. recruitment complete, equipment installed, pilot started, evaluation report delivered).
  • Outcomes: Identify measurable results (e.g. number of patients treated, staff trained, new processes tested).
  • Benefits: Explain how the outcomes will improve patient care, workforce capability, or service delivery across Wales.

Applicants should present milestones in a realistic timeline with clear deliverables at each stage.

 

Please note: You will be required to provide quarterly project updates to the ARC project team, reporting progress against the objectives and milestones outlined in your initial business case, and the project activity and milestones document (which is to be completed within 2 weeks of the ARC award notification letter being issued). 

 

5. Alignment with ARC Academy Principles

All applications to the ARC Academy must:

  • Reflect the all-Wales principle of collaborative working across the cancer centres (Velindre Cancer Service, South West Wales Cancer Centre, and North Wales Cancer  Treatment Centre) to improve outcomes for cancer patients in Wales.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to improving quality of life, reducing variation, and addressing inequalities.
  • Where possible, show regional as well as national benefit.
     

6. Alignment with ARC Themes

Applications must align with one or more of ARC’s five themes:

  1. Innovation in Radiotherapy Treatment – Delivering improvements to treatments and services benefiting patients across Wales.
  2. Training the Radiotherapy Workforce – Supporting service developments within the radiotherapy treatment pathway across Wales.
  3. Clinically Focused Radiotherapy Research – Supporting high-quality, patient-focused research projects.
  4. Expanding SABR Services – Improving patient access to Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy.
  5. Expanding Stereotactic Radiosurgery Services – Increasing patient access and service provision across Wales.
     

7. General Tips for a Strong Application

  • Clarity: State project aims and objectives clearly.
  • Evidence: Support with data, pilot outcomes, or research findings.
  • Risk Management: Identify risks and propose mitigation strategies.
  • Collaboration: Highlight partnerships across NHS organisations, academia, or industry.
  • Sustainability: Show long-term impact beyond ARC funding.
  • Completeness: Ensure all sections are complete with a sufficient level of detail.