CRP Bulletin -January 2023

Happy New Year!  We hope you have had a good start to 2023.  

We have lots of exciting news to share with you this month including the opening of the Experienced Practitioner Gateway, our upcoming CRP Conference and an update on the Advancing Healthcare Awards.  Also a reminder if you have any stories you would like to share in this bulletin please contact us on workforceandprofessionscrn@nihr.ac.uk 


Experienced Practitioner Gateway to CRP Accredited Registration now open 

We can confirm that the Experienced Practitioner Gateway to CRP Accredited Registration opened on the 9th January.   We are delighted to say we've already had a strong response, with 28 CRPs submitting their eligibility form via this route and a good number in progress.  This is an additional step in the process, to permit access to registration for those CRPs with significant practitioner level experience but who do not hold a degree.  This gateway is time-limited and expected to remain open until January 2025.  Are you planning on accessing the CRP Accredited Register via this route?  Here's what you need to do.  

Complete the Eligibility Template with your line manager 

Key points to focus on 

The review of the pilot applications identified the importance of applicants clearly outlining their experience at practitioner level and also following the published guidance to ensure all elements of their application are complete. 

What happens next?

You will receive an email to confirm receipt of your eligibility application.  If any information is missing from your submission you will be asked to provide further information.   The application will then follow one of two routes 

1.  It meets the gateway criteria without needing panel assessment,  

2.  It goes to panel assessment.  

Applicants will then receive an email informing them of the outcome. 

Full details including step by step guidance of the Experienced Practitioner Gateway process can be found on the Academy for Healthcare Science website.   For further information please contact crpadmin@ahcs.ac.uk

If you successfully pass through the practitioner gateway you will then follow the same process of applying to the CRP accredited register as those CRPs with a level 6 qualification.  

Audience at an event

CRP Conference 7 March 2023 

We are looking forward to hosting the upcoming conference being held in London on the 7 March 2023 which will be our first face to face event since 2020.  The conference programme will focus on raising awareness of leadership that is enhancing the visibility of CRPs as an emerging profession  central to the future of health and care research delivery across the UK.  

We gave priority access initially to those on the CRP Accredited Register.  But you are also welcome to register your interest in attending the conference if you are in the process of making your application to the CRP Accredited Register or you are applying through the Experienced Practitioner Gateway.  Places are very limited but we will be recording the event and this will be available for all to access following the conference.  

We are planning to have speakers from the Department of Health and Social Care, the NIHR, the devolved nations, the Academy for Healthcare Science and CRPs.  There will also be an opportunity for networking during the day.  

Call out for posters

As part of the event we would like to display posters from CRPs to show their journeys as a CRP professional and the impact that the Accredited Register has  had - on you, your team, organisation or a wider system?  If you are interested in submitting a poster please contact Carolyn Duff or Maya Leach via workforceandprofessionscrn@nihr.ac.uk.  Submissions by the 15th February if possible.  

'Lunch and learn’ webinars now available on NIHR Learn

As we shared with you last month LCRN Wessex ran a series of webinars relating to CRP Registration last year.  If you were unable to attend or would like to review them again they are now available on NIHR Learn -  Course: CRN Wessex Clinical Research Practitioners' Toolkit (nihr.ac.uk).  The webinars should be accessible to anyone with an NIHR Learn account.

CRP Webinar series

Survey: Support the development of an NIHR Academy early career researcher mentoring programme 

Are you an early career researcher? The NIHR Academy wants to provide more support to NIHR Academy Members who are early career researchers. Complete our survey to help us understand the mentoring requirements for early career researchers. Survey closes 5pm 3rd March 2023. 

NIHR annual recruitment for Patient and Public Committee Members 

Sarah Betts, Programme Manager

NIHR Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement team

As CRPs we know the interactions and relationships you build with the people and patients you work with. We would like to call on you to help spread the word about this exciting opportunity for further ways your patients and the public can get involved in research.


The NIHR has recently launched its annual recruitment for Patient and Public Committee Members. NIHR committees help decide which research is important and needed and which research projects to fund. The committees help to ensure that research is high quality, robust, represents good value for money and is applicable to the needs of our diverse society. Generally, these committees consist of around 20-30 members who have a broad range of perspectives, knowledge, skills and experience. They include NHS clinicians and practitioners, academics, local government decision makers and members of the public/patients. The public members will bring the perspective of patients, service users, carers and anyone affected by the research topic.


More detailed information about the role and responsibilities can be found on the NIHR website.  If you would like any further information please feel free to contact me (sarah.betts@nihr.ac.uk)

NIHR Learn Insights - CPD Resource on Primary Care is now available


NIHR Learn Insights for January 2023 is now available.


In this instalment Emma Tonner, a clinical leadership fellow (Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management National Medical Director’s Fellow) at the NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre leads us through an exploration of the why and how of primary care research. We last looked at the topic of primary care in August 2021. In the instalment Emma helps us to reflect on the opportunities and challenges in primary care research as we look ahead to the coming year. 


Please share with your networks/teams as appropriate. Contact nihrlearncommunities@nihr.ac.uk for more information.


Advancing Healthcare Awards - nominations now closed 


Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for the CRP award.  Shortlisting will take place soon, with the awards ceremony taking place  on the 21 April 2023.  We will keep you updated with those on the shortlist and eventually the winner for the Clinical Research Practitioner Leadership award.  


AHCS award for CRP leadership

Mentoring programme - applications now open  

The NIHR Academy has reopened its postdoctoral mentoring programme. Applications are invited from prospective mentors and mentees across the wide range of professional backgrounds represented by Academy Members.

Please visit the leadership development webpage for details and to access the expression of interest forms for mentees and mentors. Applications close at 5pm Friday 24 February 2023.

Check out the same webpage for details of other leadership resources. 

Upcoming event for CRPs in South London, North London, North Thames and Kent and Surrey  

Pan-London CRP Engagement Leads are hosting an event for potential CRP registrants, to find out more about the process of accredited registration, the NIHR CRP programme, benefits of being on the register and the vital role CRPs play in the research delivery workforce.  Date: to be confirmed.  

CRP Drop in sessions - help with completing your CRP register application

Need some help completing your Clinical Research Practitioner register application?  Come along to one of our drop in sessions 

Please come along with your questions or any reflections you may have! If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us - crpadmin@ahcs.ac.uk.  The following resources are all available on our website and may help you with completing your application:

And if you would like to connect with your local CRP Engagement Lead you can find their details on the CRP community site. 

Are you signed up to the AHCS Vox Newsletter? 

The VOX newsletter from the Academy for Healthcare Science includes news from across the healthcare science profession.  The Academy would love to share more insights into the world of a Clinical Research Practitioner. What does registration mean to you? Have you followed the journey of the CRP Directory and Register development? How does the CRP role work with other HCS roles?  If you would like to contribute to a future edition, please send your article to kirsty.clark@ahcs.ac.uk for consideration.

Read past editions or Subscribe to VOX

Connecting with other CRPs 

Just a reminder of some ways you can connect -