CSP087: Local Champion
Page Contents
1. Background
Champions are volunteers who work with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN), and their Local Clinical Health Research (LCRN) to raise awareness about CRN sub-specialty research in their professional communities.
The role of the Champion is to support the outreach activities of the sub-specialty area to include a range of healthcare specialists and early career researchers. The Champion will be an advocate for the CRN Specialty and need to have a good understanding of the challenges, barriers and opportunities for delivering sub-specialty research in their locality.
NIHR LCRN (insert sub-specialty) Champion
Responsible for the following priority areas: (insert priority areas)
Examples of duties may include but are not limited to the following (the LCRN should determine the specific remit of Champion based on local / specialty need):
provide subspecialty representation in each LCRN;
engage with (insert sub specialty) colleagues across the designated priority areas on the NIHR CRN Portfolio;
identify barriers affecting (insert sub-specialty) studies and look at possible solutions;
contact / meet with the local NIHR CRN (insert discipline) Specialty Lead every two months to review and plan regional study activity in the designated priority areas and provide (insert sub-specialty) specific study advice as necessary;
attend the local and national (insert sub specialty) specialty meetings;
promote the work of the NIHR and CRN at specialty and sub-specialty meetings and conferences, serving as an ambassador for the CRN locally, regionally and nationally, whenever opportunities arise;
if required, deputise for the local NIHR CRN (discipline) Specialty Lead (SL).
Opportunities
undertake training and development to become a Principal Investigator (PI) for studies in designated and priority areas on the NIHR CRN Portfolio;
train and mentor (insert sub-specialty) colleagues to become a Principal Investigator (PI) for studies in designated priority areas on the NIHR CRN Portfolio;
organise or contribute to NIHR CRN portfolio development workshops relevant designated priority areas
build (insert sub specialty) communities of practice across the region
provide strategic leadership on NIHR CRN research within the (insert sub-specialty) profession.
Remuneration is not mandatory and the discretion of the LCRN. If advertised as a voluntary role, there is no requirement to commit a fixed number of hours or any length of time. However, those taking on the role should be able to accommodate specialty related activities within their professional role.
Abbreviations
CRN: Clinical Research Network
LCRN: Local Clinical Research Network
NIHR: National Institute for Health and Care Research
NSG: National Specialty Group
NSL: National Specialty Lead
PI: Principal Investigator
SL: Specialty Lead
Version Control
Version number: 1.0
Effective from date: February 2023