Research Delivery Workforce Update

March 2022

Welcome to our Update page, where we intend to share regional & national updates related to training & research delivery workforce matters.    


The North West Research Workforce Team now work across both LCRN regions, ensuring that there is a cohesive workforce, learning & development offer to our Partner Organisations and the wider workforce. 


Please email us at learning.lcrnsnorthwest@nihr.ac.uk if you have any queries.    Please ensure you scroll to the bottom.

Research-Specific Training Programmes  

Please note that NIHR GCP is currently provided as part of the national suite of online learning only, with some local face to face events prioritised both virtually & in the classroom.


To ensure your team are exposed to all that is offered - please ensure you (and any learners you have responsibility for) are familiar with NIHR Learn, (some highlighted below), especially the range of courses available for new starters - to be in a position to request any available training according to any training plans you may have.

Virtual & Classroom Events 

are listed within the NIHR Learn "Locally Delivered Learning" tab (centre of home page) as one NW-wide identity - CRNs North West (GM & NWC).

As a reminder, here are weblinks to current suggested plans for Research Delivery Teams Learning Plan  and Principal Investigators Learning Plan, plus we have a poster of our summarised COVID-19 research training advice & guidance

Support in planning research novice development                              

If you're planning to support a research novice into your research delivery team, please consider utilising the suggested learning pathway. This is the model used by NW WF Team to create an offer that matches the likely contents of current competency frameworks and is then scheduled to ensure your learner is best placed to consolidate their peer/workplace learning within face to face events.

We plan for incremental learning, using 'spaced repetition', bearing in mind competency frameworks & induction phase timelines and we also use a workforce learning model known as the 70/20/10 rule, with 70% being on the job learning, 20% being peer support and 10% formal learning events. This is described here & other aspects of this work is described across the pages in the Our Approach to....... webpages.

A recent addition to NIHR Learn -  Clinical Research in Practice Settings - could be useful in helping new starters settle in if it's used prior to being asked to complete GCP.

There are also several related sections below.

Research Delivery Team Essentials (RDTE)* & Informed Consent (relates only to the Research Delivery workforce) 

We offer a Research Delivery Team (RDT) specific learning pathway to our Partners - scheduled by the line manager, in alignment with how it is offered. 

Most of the pathway can be accessed directly via NIHR Learn.   This is not something the learner should be navigating in isolation - it is expected that the line manager will drive the learning plan and development of research novices, in a timely manner with staff performance & retention in mind.



Nominations for Training

We need to be able to schedule these training courses according to demand and need support in advance planning from RDT line managers. Please send us a request via this google form for GM teams and this google form for NWC teams to let us know you have a new starter in post who needs to access RDTE and possibly also Informed Consent. We will then send them a welcome message and will make contact when a place for Essentials becomes available - anticipating that once we resume to a more regular schedule, this will be at the recommended time for completion.


Good news: From Feb we are allowed to get back into the classroom in a couple of locations again so for those waiting, there will be extra sessions planned over the coming few months, and we will be in touch with your invitations in due course.

Events & Training, Learning & Development Opportunities

The NIHR GCP Facilitator Community across the North West are now offering short, informal support sessions for those who wish to discuss any unresolved queries they may have following completion of a training programme such as GCP.  Information on how to book can be found here

Information as above for the Research Delivery Workforce. If from another community, please review the course information here.

Offered as part of a PI pathway.  Information on how to book can be found here

A fifth HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical and Practitioner Academic (ICA) Programme Pre-doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (PCAF) scheme competition has been announced.  Closes: 13:00 on 10 March 2022   For further information visit here.

CRN GM invites you to our Strategic Funding Showcase, a special event on the afternoon of 16 March to celebrate the local research delivery projects awarded CRN GM Strategic Funding for 2021/22. Attendees will have the opportunity to network and view presentations summarising outcomes from up to 30 projects. Register now. 

Are you getting the most from NIHR Learn?

Our Learning Technologist, Martin Occleston, demonstrates in this recorded session

a whole host of useful resources on NIHR Learn that you might not be away of, and some top tips on how to navigate your way around the system. 


You can watch here if you'd like to get a better understanding for yourself. 

Health + Care Expo 2022: Growing our researcher opportunities in the North West

The Health and Care EXPO North West 2022, goes live at 12 noon on Monday 21st March, 2022.

Follow the Expo via the NHS R&D North West twitter page (no account needed) @NHSNWRD

New Learning Resources

New Instalment: How do we actively work in partnership with patients and members of the public?


NIHR Learn Insights is a CPD resource with new instalments every two months and the most recent edition looks at the importance of a diverse and inclusive approach to research.


In the edition for January and February, we reflect on the importance of actively working in partnership with patients and members of the public to plan, manage, design and carry out research. We also consider how everybody working in research organisations has a role to play when we partner with the public. 

There is also a PANORAMIC trial update, info on what's new on NIHR Learn and more. 

Did you know that NIHR Learn Insights is mobile friendly? Grab a cuppa and take a moment.

NIHR Learn Insights

NIHR Inside Story - Information Security Monthly Newsletter


Inside Story provides a regular insight into how  Information Security affects us. Richard Horton has been publishing it on a monthly basis since May 2017. Some subjects are specific to CNRCC, and some applicable across NIHR. The general idea is to bring subjects to life by viewing them from a different angle. 

Additional Workforce, Learning & Development News & Info

Have you had your say on proposals for research legislative change?

Colleagues are invited to take part in a public consultation launched by the government's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). 


The consultation is seeking opinions on proposals on legislative changes for clinical trials, with a deadline of March 14th 2022. 

Screenshot of CRP webpage including photo of a CRP sat in front of a screen

Celebrating Clinical Research Practitioners

The NIHR are holding an open national event on the afternoon of the 14 March (1.30 - 4pm) to celebrate the work of CRPs and mark one year since the launch of the CRP-accredited register. To read more & sign up, click here

CRP Directory - most recent newsletter to those signed up is here.

North West Clinical Research Practitioner Community

A reminder that we have created a NW CRP webpage, with the aim to provide you with some fantastic resources to support your journey to registration and beyond.

You can also register to contact your National Engagement Manager for CRP Registration, Maya Leach, who is planning a series of events to support your plans for application & registration.

Postgraduate Certificate opportunity for healthcare practitioners

Are you a healthcare professional looking to develop your research delivery skillset? Are you an employer looking for new ways to develop the next generation of Research Delivery Leads? Registration is now open for the two new online national Postgraduate Certificates for prospective learners from all healthcare professions and their employers.


Join us on Monday 28 March 2022 from 1-2pm virtually to learn more about these courses. This event will introduce the two new online national Postgraduate Certificates aligned with the NIHR-AMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework. You will hear from the University of Exeter and Newcastle University, who will each launch a new Postgraduate Certificate.


What is the Postgraduate Certificate?

The aim of these new qualifications is to provide a forum to develop the necessary networks, skills and confidence for healthcare practitioners from any regulated profession to support and lead clinical research delivery.  Aligned with the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework, and launching in September 2022, the courses are designed for learners with busy work schedules studying part time.


Flexible access will be provided to online modules consisting of high-quality interactive learning. These theoretical modules will develop knowledge and insight of the approaches to, and delivery of, clinical research.


In addition to the online modules, learners will have an opportunity to put their learning into practice by undertaking a workplace-based module. They will work on existing research projects in their local area, supported by the mentorship of a senior researcher.


Who can attend?

Learners, if you are an experienced healthcare practitioner and want to become involved in research delivery, or if you have some research experience and would like to complete a research delivery qualification this event is for you. 


Employers, if you are looking for new ways to develop the next generation of research delivery leads this event is for you. Further information and registration details can be found on the event home page.


(Full details about the Clinician Researchers Credentials Framework can be found on the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework website).   

National & Regional Workforce Planning Resources

If you are interested in workforce planning; additional workforce; volunteer deployment; skill mix; this webpage holds links to National & Regional Resources.

Webinar: Conducting successful commercial research in a primary care setting 

in association with pharmaphorum, takes place on 24 March at 14:00. The webinar discusses that while primary care settings offer huge potential for commercial research, primary care commercial studies do require their own approach but they can have great benefits. Sign up to the webinar. 

Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) 

Both NIHR MOOCs are scheduled to repeat over the coming weeks/months:

Improving Healthcare through Clinical Research

In this free online course, find out how medical treatments are discovered, tested and evaluated to improve healthcare for all.  As GCP face to face is not available widely at present, this could be well placed to ensure continuity of formal learning 


for those who are new to research.

Introduction to Randomised Controlled Trials - University of Birmingham

Discover the importance of trials in evidence-based medicine and learn about the trial lifecycle from conception to publication. To find out more - weblink here.


NEW ADDITION: Digital Tools for Efficient Clinical Trials

This course aims to give researchers and trial teams an overview of how digital tools can support the recruitment and retention of trial participants, whilst also considering their possible limitations. The course is open to anyone with an interest in clinical research and is recommended for 2 hours per week, over 4 weeks. It has been developed by staff from the NIHR Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, NIHR NETSCC and Southampton Health Technology Assessments Centre, using NIHR funding. See when the next cohort starts


With all FutureLearn MOOCs, please remember that your do not have to purchase a certificate, you can 'screenshot' your progress and/or your completion page.

E-learning for Healthcare Logo

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products

 

The Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre (ATTC) network have developed a new e-learning programme in collaboration with e-learning for Healthcare. Please share with your networks/communities as appropriate.

In case you missed it...

Primary Care

There is a Research and Quality Improvement Learning Community for Primary Care on NIHR Learn, as well as a new module which is made up of a series of videos entitled Getting into Research: Primary Care, taken from a conversation between CRN GM and the GP Excellence programme. 

Associate PI

The Associate PI scheme recently launched a new website which contains all of the details you need to know about the programme, including what to expect, how to apply, and where to reach out for further information. 

Did you know you can follow us on Twitter? 

We have a North-West Workforce Learning and Development Twitter account where we share some of the great work going on across our region. 

Follow us, tag us when you have something you'd like us to shout about and you never know what opportunities and contacts you might come across along the way!