Maya Leach, Clinical Research Practitioner and Engagement Manager : Clinical Research Practitioner Registration 

To support the professional development of Clinical Research Practitioners across the country, we established the CRP Engagement Leads network. The CRP Engagement Leads are drawn from 15 local Clinical Research Networks in England and were locally appointed by Workforce Development Leads. These individuals are mainly Clinical Research Practitioners who passionately support the professionalisation of the CRP role by promoting the value of accredited registration as an asset, not only to CRPs and to their teams, but to the UK research delivery workforce as a whole.

 Our CRP Engagement Leads are either already registered or working towards their registration. They lead by example. They are your local voice in shaping the development and future direction of the profession. They are CRP leaders of the future in the making – and we urgently need more visible leaders in this newly emerging profession.

 Some of our passionate CRP Engagement Leads come from different backgrounds e.g. members of Learning and Development Teams or Workforce Development Leads who took the lead on local engagement with CRP registration. 

CRP Engagement Leads proactively look for opportunities to raise the visibility of CRPs and their professional role and ensure that all partner organisations and their workforce are informed about current developments and supported as needed. 

These Leaders will identify CRP advocates in local trusts/ organisations and work closely with them to plan and promote events and activities in support of professional registration.  

Please get in touch if you are a CRP advocate who would like to champion professional development of CRPs in your organisation.

CRP Engagement Leads also support the development of the local, regional and national CRP community of practice. They will contribute to the arrangement of local CRP Community meetings and local communication channels for members of the community. They would like to connect with you. They would like you to feel a part of your local CRP community. 

 Thank you to all CRP Engagement Leads for stepping forward and taking on this crucial role.  If you would like to connect with your local CRP Engagement Lead, please contact workforceandprofessionscrn@nihr.ac.uk and we will pass your details on to them.  

Dr Fiona O’Neill, Advisor CRP Register, Academy for Healthcare Science

At the heart of the registration process is the applicant’s commitment to best practice and protecting the public. Unlike statutory registers, joining a voluntary register is the personal choice of the individual. In the case of the Academy’s register it is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority which means we have to operate to the same high standard as all statutory and accredited voluntary registers.

Accredited registers are an important part of the regulatory landscape in the UK.  If a voluntary accredited register exists there is an expectation that employers will encourage and support their employees to join because of the added level of assurance it provides. 

https://www.nhsemployers.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/Professional-Registration-March-2022.pdf 

The involvement of confirmers and colleagues in the CRP register application process provides an important opportunity to demonstrate such support and show how the commitment of their CRP colleagues is valued.  

As part of the application process, applicants are required to provide certain pieces of factual information that confirms the applicant’s identity and other requirements including English Language, DBS, mandatory training and competency.  Line managers are asked to confirm that they have seen this information, that it is complete, correct and authentic.

Applicants also need to demonstrate that they have involved a registered professional in their practice development conversation. In many cases this will be their line manager but may also involve a registered professional who is part of the team. The conversation is included to support the process of reflection.  The registered professional is required to indicate by signature that this conversation has taken place.

The management responsibilities of those who line manage CRPs remain the same whether the CRPs they manage choose to join the register or not. Registrants, like all those working in healthcare, are responsible for their own decisions and actions, working within their agreed scope of practice and with access to the training and development required.  An important function of voluntary accredited registers is to provide a mechanism to address concerns about a registrant’s fitness to practice, both in terms of professional performance and acts that may have an effect on public protection. By supporting applicants, managers are demonstrating their own commitment to safety. In addition, the registration process requires CRPs to discuss their Scope of Practice and development needs  enabling a shared understanding and a platform to address any concerns and agree development priorities.

The development of the register presents a significant change for those who manage and support CRPs. Feedback indicates that in the majority of  cases the application process has provided valuable opportunities to demonstrate support for CRPs and enable meaningful development for them. Change also presents challenges and we recognise that not all will feel comfortable about their role in confirming applications or understand the purpose and value of accredited registers. The formality of registration and accountability for sign off may feel challenging for confirmers, partly because the mechanism is new and will be open to audit. Should adverse consequences arise for a registered CRP, there may be anxiety about what the impact will be.  As with all assurances, those given by confirmers in relation to CRP registrants are trusted as offered in good faith at a particular point in time.

We welcome questions from confirmers about any aspect of their role or the process.  There is guidance available on the website and a growing community of managers who have experience of the process and are willing to share it with others.

Questions can be emailed to crpadmin@ahcs.ac.uk and resources are available on the NIHR/AHCS site

Q - Can a Clinical Research Practitioner sign off the Assurance of Practice Development document?

Currently a CRP, even if registered, cannot sign off the Assurance of Practice Developmental document. The applicant is required to discuss their practice development with a statutory registered professional (e.g a doctor, nurse, AHP) who can then sign off the Assurance of Practice Development document.

Q - What are the eligibility criteria to join the Clinical Research Practitioner Register?

The Register is intended for experienced CRPs who have developed their skills and knowledge over time. This would not normally be in the first year of working at practitioner level, as you need to consolidate experience and knowledge even if you have previously been working in a support level research delivery role. Registrants will need to have joined the CRP Directory before they make an application to the CRP Register.

Registrants will need to hold an undergraduate degree (Any undergraduate degree is accepted). A pathway for experienced CRPs who do not hold a degree is in development. If a degree qualification was awarded by a non-UK institution, please also upload a copy of an ENIC certificate indicating comparability with UK standards.