CRP Bulletin - December 2025
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Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to this special edition of the CRP Bulletin. This issue provides an end-of-year update for CRPs, including a message from Janice Paterson, Research Delivery Network Workforce Development Lead at the NIHR.
We are excited to announce the launch of a new Learning and Development Framework for CRPs on NIHR Learn. We're also delighted to report that as of 2 December, we had received 192 responses to the CRP national survey 2025. The survey will stay open until the end of the year, so there's still time for you to contribute. Read on for more information about the Framework and survey, articles demonstrating CRP successes and a report from the East Midlands CRP Connect25 event.
We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those that have supported and contributed to the CRP Bulletin during 2025.
End of year message from Janice Paterson, RDN Workforce Development Lead, NIHR Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre
End of year message from Janice Paterson, RDN Workforce Development Lead, NIHR Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre
December 2025 has already been an exciting month for all things CRP. Things have come a long, long way, with more than 2,800 practitioners listed on the CRP Directory and over 560 registered CRPs.
Highlights this month include the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) reopening the Experienced Practitioner Gateway to CRP Registration after a period of pause to reset to enable experienced CRPs who don't have a level 6 qualification (or higher) to apply for registration through this route.
In parallel, the NIHR has launched the new CRP Learning and Development Framework. I hope that this resource can support uptake of AHCS registration for CRPs to grow and progress as a profession able to develop and access career opportunities. Please take a look and share your feedback.
To help continue to support the embedding of CRPs as a recognised research delivery profession, please also take the time to complete the CRP national survey 2025. Knowing more about the CRP community will help to shape and secure the best support possible for the future.
Sending you all good wishes of the season and looking forward to more great things for CRPs in 2026.
New CRP Learning and Development Framework now available
New CRP Learning and Development Framework now available
A new Learning and Development Framework for CRPs is now available on NIHR Learn. In response to demand, the Framework has been designed to support the development and embedding of CRPs as a recognised research delivery profession working across the health and care system.
CRPs are intrinsic to the UK’s capacity and ability to deliver high quality health and care research. They are a key part of NIHR RDN Agile Research Delivery Teams and their role aligns closely with the ambitions of the UK Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England and the Life Sciences Sector Plan.
The Framework aims to enable both currently unregistered practitioners and AHCS-registered CRPs seeking to develop. It also includes resources for line managers and senior managers within employing organisations who are supporting CRP development to create a confident, professional CRP workforce.
Access the CRP Learning and Development Framework on NIHR Learn.
For any questions, please contact the RDN Workforce Development team.
Placed under the NIHR Learning Frameworks menu on NIHR Learn, this new resource brings together:
structured guidance and nationally relevant resources for all CRPs
e-learning modules designed to support CRPs and their managers with development
information to help CRPs prepare for registration with the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS)
guidance about Experienced Practitioner Gateway access to registration for those who don’t have a degree
support for maintaining AHCS registration through Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
approaches to exploring career development opportunities as a registered CRP
CRP National Survey 2025
CRP National Survey 2025
The CRP national survey 2025 is being conducted to:
Scope identity within the current CRP occupational groups with respect to; academic background, level of research/clinical experience and areas of work
Support the development of a CRP community of practice, establish focused content for CRP newsletter/communications and professional development opportunities
Establish a benchmark and baseline of where this occupational group is currently so we can measure the impact of development over time, relating this to, significant system, organisational and societal changes linked to embedding of health and care research across the NHS and wider care settings.
Complete the survey
Complete the survey
To compete the survey, please follow this link or use the QR code to the left.
The survey will remain open until 31 December 2025.
There are 30 questions in the survey, which will take up to 30 minutes to complete.
There is also an option to include any additional comments you may wish to share.
Completing the survey is optional, but the more CRPs who do, the more representative and accurate our data will be. We would appreciate it if you could prioritise completion of the survey if you are willing to do so.
Events updates
Events updates
Connecting, Learning, and Growing: Inside CRP Connect25
Claire Sampson, Learning & Development Facilitator/Senior CRP (Registered) and Stephanie Kings-Jones, RDN CC GCP National Lead/Learning & Development Facilitator, East Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network.
October was an exciting month for the Clinical Research Practitioner community in the East Midlands, as they gathered for the highly anticipated CRP Connect25 event at Trent Vineyard in Nottingham. This conference, hosted by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) East Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network, is a vital platform for connecting, learning and celebrating the crucial role CRPs play in driving clinical research delivery.
CRP Connect25 was specifically organised to support this diverse group, whether they were current CRPs, those supporting CRPs or individuals considering a career in the field. The East Midlands CRP event was developed in close collaboration with feedback from the wider CRP community and, more specifically, the East Midlands CRP Champions. Two of these led sessions focused on areas identified by CRPs as most valuable for their development and registration goals - reflective practice and evidencing CPD. The East Midlands CRP Champions were incredibly visible on the day, helping to answer questions and support those in attendance.
Key Highlights and Themes
The 2025 event focused on strategy, career development and the central importance of the CRP role. Attendees were given an invaluable opportunity to hear from national leaders and participate in focused sessions designed to empower their professional journey.
National CRP Strategy Update: The day benefitted from presentations from Janice Paterson, RDN Workforce Development Lead; Jess Radcliffe-Craggs Head of Research Delivery Workforce Development and Paula Tacchi, Clinician Researcher Programme Lead, which included highlights on the wider workforce strategy, the future CRP Strategy and career development
Interactive Workshops: There were two workshops, designed to ensure they supported CRPs to develop the tools and knowledge to advance their careers and fulfill their potential within clinical research. Topics included reflective practice and evidencing CPD
Celebrating CRPs and their Impact: During the event, we heard inspiring stories from CRPs about their career journeys, as well as insights from managers and team leads who highlighted the vital contribution CRPs make to research within their Trusts
Connecting and Collaborating
Beyond the presentations, CRP Connect25 lived up to its name by fostering excellent networking opportunities. The conference provided dedicated time for attendees to connect with peers, share best practices and build valuable professional relationships across the East Midlands.
The event successfully created an environment of learning and celebration, reminding everyone of the profound impact CRPs have on healthcare and the future of research.
Celebrating CRP colleagues
Celebrating CRP colleagues
Congratulations to Maxine Berry, NIHR BioResource Team Leader (Registered Clinical Research Practitioner), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who has successfully graduated from Leading Clinical Research Delivery (Online) MSc programme at Exeter university.
This is one of only three NIHR-AoMRC accredited, fully online MSc programmes, developed in line with the Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework. It supports practising clinical professionals aspiring to work in the clinical research delivery workforce.
Maxine was in the first graduating class from the Leading Clinical Research Delivery programme and had this to say about her experience on the MSc Programme. “Completing this MSc has been a pivotal moment in my career. It has provided me with the essential knowledge that I believe all research staff should possess, including academic writing, methodological design, and critical appraisal. The programme demystified the ‘hidden curriculum’ of research and fundamentally shifted my perspective, from concentrating on the operational delivery of studies to understanding the strategic leadership required to design and lead my own projects. I now have not only the clinical insight to identify research gaps, but also the academic grounding that will support me should I choose to pursue a doctorate”.
If you are interested in pursuing a place on one of the NIHR-AoMRC accredited, fully online MSc programmes, and want to understand further the lived experience of completing this training, Maxine is happy for you to reach out; maxineberry@nhs.net.
Dental Research Network recruits more than 80 practices
A network has got its teeth into dental research by recruiting more than 80 practices across the region in just 2 years.
The West Midlands Dental Research Network is a collaborative between dental practices and the West Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network (WM RRDN).
Since 2023 it has signed up 84 practices, and these have taken part in 7 NIHR Portfolio studies. To date 62 expressions of interest have been received, 26 practices have taken part in a Portfolio study, and over 657 participants have been recruited.
The Network’s aim is to improve the dental health of children and adults by building new knowledge, bridging gaps in research, applying learning to practice, supporting the development of dental teams and sharing findings.
The West Midlands Dental Research Network can:
Inform practices of opportunities to take part in high-quality research
Support practices with study set-up and delivery of research (most studies will require minimal resources from the practice)
Offer advice and support with research governance
Provide support from trained research staff and support throughout the study
Provide access to free research training
Anesha Chauhan, Clinical Research Practitioner at the West Midlands RRDN who facilitates the Dental Network, said: “Inviting practices to take part in innovative studies helps them contribute to shaping the dental health of the nation. It also gives them chance to take advantage of new, innovative treatments or screening programmes not yet available to the general population.”
One of the 7 NIHR studies was the Pulpotomy or root canal treatment for the management of Irreversible Pulpitis in mature teeth (PIP Study). This examined whether pulpotomy or root canal treatment is more effective for adults with irreversible pulpitis (soft tissue inflammation inside a tooth containing nerves and blood vessels).
Pulpotomy is where the pulp (nerve and blood vessels) is removed from the tooth, and a drug or treatment is applied to the remaining tissue. Root canal treatment is the removal of the entire pulp.
Nationally, 48 practices – of which 10 were in the West Midlands – were each targeted to recruit 11 participants to PIP. The first to sign up to the Network, Tipton’s Princes End Dental Practice, was the highest recruiter to PIP, enrolling 24 people.
Dr Ateef Azam, Principal Dentist at Princes End, urged other practices to Be Part of Research, saying: “Go for it – don’t hesitate. You will absolutely love the experience. I did something positive to help with future treatments; I felt valued and like we were one big family with a common goal.”
Dr Azam said he felt well supported in taking part, adding: “The whole experience was excellent. Everyone was really friendly, helpful and very approachable. I was aware of what was needed at every step.”
Princes End Dental Nurses Assad Azam and Jitrada Supol said they would like to take part in future studies.
The WM Dental Research Network now collaborates with all RRDNs, also creating a chat space. This has enabled sharing of progress, successful strategies, current studies, and mutual learning.
Beverley Buck, Agile Research Delivery Team Research Officer, North East and North Cumbria RRDN, said: “The Dental Research Network meetings have been incredibly helpful. They've been a great success in allowing us to share best practices in dental research and begin working more cohesively as one RDN, especially since we currently have varied approaches.”
More information is available here or you can email wm.rrdn@nihr.ac.uk with the header WCS/Dental.
Keeping your details up to date
Keeping your details up to date
To help us support you and the CRP Community it's very important that you keep your contact details up to date, including the region where you work.
You can update your details here.
Connect on social media
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Want to contribute?
Want to contribute?
If you have any stories or information you would like to share, please contact your local CRP Engagement Lead.
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