Facilitating Implementation of Research Evidence (FIRE) is a proposed four year programme of research to identify and validate key factors determining the successful implementation of research evidence in practice. The study is underpinned by a conceptual framework, the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARiHS) framework, which proposes that the successful implementation of research evidence is dependent on the complex interplay of the evidence, the context of implementation and the way the process is facilitated. The planned research will focus on evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of facilitation as an implementation strategy. A randomised, controlled trial with three intervention arms (standard dissemination and two different models of facilitation) and six units in each of five countries (four in Europe, plus Canada; n=30) is planned. The units will be asked to implement research based guidance on continence promotion and receive differing levels of facilitation support to do so. Detailed contextual, process and outcome data will be collected to fully explore the complex processes at work during implementation. With the combination of an international consortium and experienced research team, a theory-driven, multi-method evaluation study and detailed attention to stakeholder involvement and dissemination throughout the research, the study has the potential to make a significant contribution to the knowledge and practice of translating research evidence at a clinical, organisational and policy level, within Europe and internationally.