NMAHPs

An introduction to the National Institute for Health and Care Research. 

Click here to enrol. 

Get step-by-step guidance on every stage of the research process to kickstart your career in health and social care research

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This e-Learning course explains why inclusive research matters and how cultural understanding, values and beliefs can impact on research participation. The module concludes by exploring practical recommendations for removing barriers to inclusion that have come from the findings of the NIHRs Include project.

The course will take approximately 40 minutes to complete.

Click here to enrol

This course is aimed at those new to site files and also more experienced staff who would like a refresher. You should have completed Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training and it would be useful if you have seen a site file.

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This course is aimed at those new to research and also more experienced staff who would like to know more about safety reporting. This package is aimed at staff who will be undertaking safety reporting. Ideally, you should have some knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards.

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For staff working to support research delivery, e.g. caring for a patient who is also a research participant. This online course has been designed for those working on studies delivering without 'freedom to act.' This training is limited to working under standard operating procedures and instructions.  

Click here to enrol.

This course is aimed at those new to research and also more experienced staff who would like to know more about data quality. This package is aimed at staff who will be undertaking data entry or data collection. Ideally, you should have some knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards

Click here to enrol

The NIHR Clinical Research Network Yorkshire and Humber Introduction to Informed Consent workshop is designed for all staff wishing to gain a better understanding of the informed consent process required to enrol participants into a research project. It is also suitable for those working with participants engaged in research activity who may not be directly cared for in a clinic or hospital setting.

It is essential that you seek further support and guidance from your local R&D department, research leadership and/or line manager prior to undertaking informed consent for research activities. Whilst this workshop forms an element of your learning in this area you may be required to complete competency documents and follow organisational/Trust guidance in your place of work. 

This workshop builds on the areas discussed in Good Clinical Practice therefore training and prior knowledge of GCP is assumed.  

Click here to enrol onto the Real-Time Virtual session

Click here to enrol onto the Face-to Face session

Developed by NIHR Newcastle BRC, this digital tool can help you embed PPIE activities into your projects at all stages of the research cycle. The questions asked in this planner are all the types of questions a PPIE professional would pose to a researcher to help them develop the best possible PPIE plans.

Access the plan4ppie Digital Planner here 

This resource has been developed to support researchers to better understand how to embed EDI in research design and to meet the NIHR’s EDI requirements. The toolkit advocates for best practice which goes beyond the NIHR's current requirements. 

Click here to visit the the EDI Toolkit page.

This online course will discuss how medical treatments are discovered, tested and evaluated to improve healthcare for all.

Click here to enrol

This online course discusses the importance of trials in evidence-based medicine and provides the opportunity to learn about the trial lifecycle from conception to publication.

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CPMS is an online database used for the management of all study records within the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio. This training will help you understand how the system works. 

Click here to enrol.

This four-week clinical trials course is designed to create awareness about the availability and use of digital tools for the recruitment and retention of participants within clinical trials.

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The NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) launched in October 2023, providing free and confidential advice and expertise for health and care researchers in England.  The RSS provides support at every stage of the research journey, from pre-application through to post-award delivery.

The core services offered by the NIHR RSS include:

• Pre and post-award advice from methodologists. This includes statisticians, qualitative researchers, health economists, social scientists, behavioural scientists, clinical trialists and others with expertise in study development

• Advice on patient and public involvement and engagement

• Advice on developing and delivering inclusive research

• Support for clinical trial development and delivery

• Opportunities to collaborate with centres of research excellence

• Signposting to other sources of advice and support

To find out more about the NIHR RSS or to request support from one of the RSS hubs visit the NIHR Research Support Service website.

The Conversation is an independent source of news analysis and expert comment written by academic experts, working with professional journalists who help share their knowledge with the world. It offers short courses that cover how to pitch and write for The Conversation and reach non-academic audiences.

To find out more and complete these courses, visit the conversation website. 

The University of Sheffield offer media and social media training sessions throughout the academic year. You can register your interest on their website. The courses offered are:

• Introduction to social media for researchers

• Advanced social media for researchers

• Twitter for Researchers

• Introduction to vertical short form video for researchers

Find out more about these courses.

STEP UP have created a hub of learning resources and training materials from trusted external sources to help facilitate inclusive clinical trial design and delivery.

Visit the STEP UP site to access these resources here.

About the course:
The course will cover the timeline and stages of setting up a clinical trial from the point of receiving the funded grant application to opening the first site. It will provide a practical insight into the individual steps of setting up a clinical trial, with the aim for participants to be able to leave the course feeling confident and ready to set up and manage their own trial (be that multicentre or single site research). The course will be aimed at people working with human participants, specifically within healthcare and / or the NHS.

Who will benefit from the course?
It will be designed for new study managers from across the UK, but would also be relevant to research assistants, new trial managers, PhD students hoping to conduct NHS research, research fellows and associates. Please note that this course is aimed at those working on UK-based clinical trials due to the UK's unique framework of rules.

Register your interest here.

The UK's clinical research infrastructure has developed to adopt and use remote methods in clinical trial delivery. From remote monitoring to remote consultations, there is expertise and willingness to embed innovative approaches to clinical trial delivery. For those looking to incorporate remote methods into their clinical trial design, there are many aspects to consider. The following content aims to  help design and delivery teams and trial sponsors consider and implement remote methods in their studies.

Visit the information site here.

This course explains the regulations and considerations relating to mental capacity and research. It is aimed at those involved in designing or undertaking, supporting or reviewing research, and takes account of research seeking to include adults lacking capacity as well as research where some participants may lack capacity or lose capacity.

Access the e-learning here.

This course explains the regulations and considerations for research involving ionising radiation. It is aimed at those involved in designing or undertaking, supporting or reviewing such research.

*The HRA is currently working to implement updates to this module to reflect The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017. 

Access the e-learning here.

This module is designed with a number of pathways to allow users to select a role which reflects their own professional interest.

Access the e-learning here.

At FNF we offer a range of delivery methods for our leadership development programmes. Through tailored online courses we can offer the same transformational approach as in our face-to-face programmes, but in a more flexible way, reaching larger numbers of people, whilst still providing space for networking and peer-to-peer support. 

We have online courses aimed at specific groups of healthcare professionals, who often find development opportunities hard to find or to access.

Find out more here.

Please note that this has now replaced the PCAF

The NIHR Academy Predoctoral Award funds a programme of training and development designed to advance your health and social care research career at masters level.

If you are a clinical or practitioner applicant, you should also use a Predoctoral Award to support the development of a PhD application. If you are an aspiring methodologist, you can use this award to help develop a methodology career in roles relevant to health and social care research, which may include development of a PhD application.

The Predoctoral Award provides funding for:

• your full salary, including the employer’s contribution to National Insurance and Superannuation (if taking up the award part-time, your salary will be paid pro-rata)

• if you are a clinical or practitioner applicant, or based in a local authority, and you will be taking up the award full-time, you can request up to 20% paid clinical or practice time

• if you are a fully qualified GP or GDP in Primary care, the funded academic component is subject to a salary cap equivalent to the top of the pre-2003 consultant payscale

• if you are a primary care applicant in vocational training when you apply, you will be subject to a cap on your basic salary of spine point 5 or equivalent on the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) clinical academic pay scale in the first year, and spine point 6 in the second year

• full masters fees at the UK rate or £5000 bespoke masters-level training per full-time year

• £1000 for working with people and communities (previously known as patient and public involvement) and research inclusion

• £1000 supervisory fees

• £1000 conference fees and associated travel and subsistence

Find out more here. 

Please note that this has now replaced the DCAF, Doctoral Fellowship, and DLAF. 

The Doctoral Award provides funding and support to individuals from all professional backgrounds. This flexible scheme enables you to complete a PhD in applied health or social care research. Your research project must be within NIHRs remit for personal career development awards.

The award opens twice a year in April and October. It lasts 3 years full-time, with part-time options available.

To be eligible for the Doctoral Award, you must:

• hold a 1st or 2:1 bachelor’s degree, or equivalent (if not, you will usually need to have a master’s degree)

• have prior research experience or training to prepare for a PhD

• not already hold a PhD by research

• propose substantive employment with a recognised Higher Education Institution (HEI), NHS body, local authority, or other publicly/third-sector funded health or social care provider in England

• register for a PhD at a recognised HEI in England, if you are not already enrolled (if already registered, you must not have been enrolled for more than 12 months full-time by the award start date)

Find out more here. 

Please note that this has now replaced the Advanced Fellowship, ACAF, and ALAF. 

The Postdoctoral Award provides funding and support to individuals from all professional backgrounds. To apply, you should be on the way to becoming a future leader in research within the NIHR’s remit. 

You can apply to this award twice a year in April and October.

To be eligible, you must:

• hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted your thesis for examination at the time of application. You must have been awarded your PhD or MD by the time you attend the interview

• propose to undertake the award at a Higher Education Institute, NHS body, local authority or other provider of health or social care services, either in England or a participating devolved nation

• not already hold a chair position at the point of application

• must have completed relevant pre-registration training if you are a clinical applicant

Find out more here. 

The Associate PI Scheme is a six month in-work training opportunity, providing practical experience for healthcare professionals starting their research career. People who would not normally have the opportunity to take part in clinical research in their day-to-day role have the chance to experience what it means to work on and deliver an NIHR portfolio trial under the mentorship of an enthusiastic Local Principal Investigator (PI).

The scheme is open to any health and care professional who does not have research as a core part of their role, but wishes to gain skills and experience by contributing towards an NIHR Portfolio adopted study. This includes, but is not limited to, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and so on. We encourage all health and care professionals to consider taking part.

Interested applications must:

• Be a healthcare professional who wants to gain knowledge of what it means to deliver an NIHR portfolio study.

• Be able to commit to six months of working on a study registered onto the scheme at the same local site, once their spot on the Associate PI Scheme is confirmed.

• Have spoken to the Local Principal Investigator of their chosen study and gained their mentorship approval prior to applying.

• Not currently working in a full time funded research role (e.g research nurse).

• If you are a ‘Fellow’ (e.g Research Fellow, Clinical Fellow) then you must not be receiving funding to work on the study that you want to be an Associate PI for. However, you can be an Associate PI on a study that is outside of your funded fellow role. Enrolment in these cases will be made on an individual basis.

Find out more here. 

Are you planning to apply for an NIHR Career Development Scheme in the future?

The NIHR Pre-Application Support Fund scheme provides funding which can be used to help you prepare a larger application to the NIHR. It is aimed at individuals that require additional support to submit a competitive application. Through providing additional funding, the Pre-Application Support Fund aims to enhance the opportunities available to those that otherwise would not have sufficient support to apply for NIHR career development funding. 

You can request funding and support for:

• A contribution to your salary to buy out the necessary time to prepare an application

• Training and development, mentorship or supervisory costs specifically associated with developing an application

• Other costs where the additional support required to submit an application extends beyond the categories outlined above

Funding can be requested for up to 12 months to develop an application for an NIHR career development scheme, including:

Pre-Doctoral Fellowship

Doctoral Fellowship

Development and Skills Enhancement (DSE) Award

Advanced Fellowship

Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) and Advanced Fellowship (EME-AF)

Population Health Career Scientist Award (PHCSA)

Research Professorship.

NIHR Global Health

Global Research Professorship

NIHR Integrated Pathways Programmes

Pre-doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (PCAF)

Doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (DCAF)

Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (ACAF)

In-Practice Fellowship

Senior Clinical and Practitioner Research Award.

NIHR Local Authority Academic Fellowship Programme

Pre-Doctoral Local Authority Fellowship Scheme (PLAF)

Doctoral Local Authority Fellowship (DLAF)

Advanced Local Authority Fellowship (ALAF).

For more information about this award, please visit the NIHR page 

THIS IS SEPARATE TO THE SCHEME RUN VIA NIHR SHEFFIELD BRC

ICA Bridging schemes support health and care professionals (excluding doctors and dentists)  to build on their previous academic training and to develop proposals for a pre or post-doctoral award, and take the next step in their clinical academic or practitioner academic career.

Applicants to the HEE/NIHR ICA Programme schemes must hold registration with one of the ICA approved regulatory bodies or have plans in place to hold the required registration by the proposed award start date.

ICA Bridging awards  are managed by local HEE teams.  Further details of the scheme and contact details  for your local team are available from the HEE Clinical Academic Career web pages.

The ICA Mentorship Scheme offers individuals holding doctoral or post-doctoral ICA awards the opportunity for free one-to-one clinical academic career mentorship by an appropriate mentor.

All doctoral and post-doctoral ICA awardees are welcome to access mentorship through the scheme.

Prospective mentors or mentees requiring further information should contact our mentorship provision service at UWE by email on: icamentor@uwe.ac.uk.

The NIHR Undergraduate Internship Programme (UIP) aims to engage and attract students from underrepresented professions in the early stages of their academic studies to consider a career in health and social care research.

Early to mid-career researchers (the applicant[s]) can apply to host up to 3 interns. Interns will undertake a fully funded and flexible placement in the area or discipline they are interested in pursuing, whilst the applicant(s) will have an opportunity to gain valuable supervisory and grant application experience.

At present, the NIHR will prioritise funding internships in the following disciplines/professions of strategic importance:

• Health Care Professional’s (HCP’s)

  • Nursing

  • Midwifery

  • Allied Health Professionals

• Pharmacy

• Healthcare Science

• Social Care

• Research Methodology

• Public Health

• Data Science

If successful, early/mid-career researchers will recruit interns via the host organisations normal recruitment processes.

You must hold a PhD or have equivalent demonstrable years of research experience to apply to host an undergraduate through this scheme. 

For more information, please visit the NIHR Page. 

Are you a Research Delivery Nurse or Midwife who wants to develop their research leadership skills?

The NIHR’s Principal Investigator Pipeline Programme (PIPP) aims to address some of the current gaps in career opportunities for research delivery nurses and midwives by supporting them to become Principal Investigators (PIs) to deliver NIHR portfolio studies.

The programme will develop the skills, knowledge and experience required by research nurses and midwives to undertake a Principal Investigator (PI) role.

Find out more here. 

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), led by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), worked with Higher Education Institutions to develop a national framework of Master’s level qualifications, which provide the necessary networks, skills and confidence needed to lead and support clinical research delivery. The Framework is aimed at experienced healthcare practitioners from all professional backgrounds who aspire to take on  leadership roles in clinical research delivery, such as Co-Investigator or Principal Investigator (PI). This includes those who have no or limited research experience and those currently working in research delivery.   

Find out more here. 

The Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme invites applications from allied health professionals to the third highlight notice addressing the NIHR strategy to strengthen careers of under-represented disciplines and specialisms.

The call offers researchers considerable flexibility to focus on any subject area or topic provided the application is within RfPB remit.

The call is for proposals up to £500,000 for a period of up to three years and follows RfPB tiered approach to funding limits according to the trajectory to patient benefit.   

Find out more here. 

The NIHR Reviewer Development Scheme is for early career researchers or professionals who are new to reviewing funding applications. You will have the opportunity to gain experience of peer reviewing for NIHR funding programmes, and in turn influence research commissioning. As a scheme member you will be given guidance on how to complete a review task. You will receive constructive feedback on your reviews to help hone your reviewing skills. You will also be able to view anonymised comments from other experienced reviewers who have been given the same review task, to see how your review compares to theirs. You will then be informed of the committee’s decision about the research brief or proposal you have reviewed, which will allow you to judge how closely your views on the project are aligned with other experts. 

Find out more here. 

The Clinical Entrepreneur Programme is an award winning, NHS initiative, delivered by Anglia Ruskin University. Launched in 2016 the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (NHS CEP), is a free entrepreneurial work force development programme aimed at NHS staff and healthcare professionals.

The programme is part of the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) which brings together industry, government, regulators, patients and the NHS to remove barriers and accelerate the introduction of new ground-breaking treatments and diagnostics which have the potential to transform care.

Eligibility: All NHS workforce staff (including NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland) and those providing NHS Services such as: GP’s, dentists, pharmacists, physios, are welcome to apply, including those in both clinical (including clinician academics who work in research/university) and non-clinical roles. If you are working as a locum, or in a hospice you can also apply. 

Find out more and register here. 

4Ward North PhD Fellowships are three years in duration and should include supervision from at least two of the 4Ward North institutions. Each individual PhD will be hosted by one of four institutions: The University of Manchester, the University of Leeds, Newcastle University and The University of Sheffield.

Successful applications will receive:

• a training programme 

• bespoke mentoring

• an opportunity to compete for the Leading Scholars’ Programme (12 months of research support immediately after the PhD to pump-prime postdoctoral clinical career development applications)

• a key skills development opportunity by supervising and mentoring NRP students.

Those who are shortlisted but are not successful in securing a fellowship will receive:

• help in building their project

• guidance, advice and mentorship through the application process for an equivalent research training award from other funders

Eligibility: Fellows recruited to a programme must have completed their undergraduate degree, and must be practicing healthcare professionals and be registered with a professional regulatory body in the UK/Republic of Ireland, such as the General Medical Council or the Health and Care Professions Council. Medical graduates must be registered on a UK/Republic of Ireland specialist training programme or must be a registered GP. Eligible healthcare professionals include those practicing in nursing, midwifery, allied healthcare professions, pharmacy and healthcare sciences, dental and medical specialties.

Find out more and apply here. 

Master's level qualifications in clinical research delivery leadership. Suitable for all registered healthcare professionals at all stages of their career. 

The NIHR and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, led by the Royal College of Physicians worked with higher education institutions to create a national framework of Master’s level clinical research delivery leadership qualifications. These qualifications provide learners with the necessary skills and build the confidence required to be able to lead and support clinical research delivery. All the qualifications are aimed at experienced healthcare practitioners from all professional backgrounds, who aspire to take on  leadership roles in clinical research delivery, such as Co-Investigator or Principal Investigator. This includes those who have no or limited research experience and those currently working in research delivery. 

The course is run at four institutions: 

• King's College London

• Newcastle University

• The University of Exeter

• The University of Sheffield

Find out more and apply here. 

The NIHR's Senior Research Leader Programme helps nurses and midwives develop their research leadership skills to improve research in their organisations and beyond.

Who's it for?

Nurses and midwives in England who have experience in research leadership in health or social care at a local and/or regional level

Duration

3 years

How does it work?

We pay your employer at an Agenda for Change Band 8b to second you to the programme for 2 days a week.

Find out more and apply here. 

The Equity in Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation (EDEPI) programme is looking for passionate and talented individuals to pursue original research and broaden their professional horizons through a part-time PhD programme.

EDEPI has partnered with NHS Trust across Nottingham, Sheffield and Liverpool to offer fee-waived, part-time PhD places to eligible NHS staff to pursue research alongside their role. The PhD programme is designed to enable staff from racially minoritised groups to set a new research agenda relevant to their experiences and to remove barriers to leadership roles within the NHS. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals staff who are a UK resident (eligible for home student fees) from a racially minoritised group are eligible to apply.

To find out more about PhD study and to signup for the workshops run by Sheffield Hallam University, visit Is a PhD at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) right for me? 2025 Entry | Rise 360 

The Professional Doctorate in Health programme has been designed for those working in healthcare related environments to embed and build upon applied research in advancing professional health care practice in an increasingly complex environment.

The programme of study offers an alternative to the PhD or more traditional research routes and is offered on a flexible part time basis taking into account the applicants’ professional context, prior learning, skills, work place priorities and experiences. Professional doctorates provide an opportunity for individuals to situate professional knowledge developed over time in a theoretical academic framework.

Professional Doctorates are available on a part-time basis based on the expectation that candidates will carry out their studies whilst they are engaged in relevant employment which informs their studies.

Who is this course for?

This programme is intended for healthcare professionals, or those working in related environments, who want to advance their research aspirations in health-related fields.

What you'll learn

• Analytical skills

• Research techniques

• Leadership skills

• Report writing

Find out more about the University of Liverpool Course Here (also available at other institutions)

If you are looking to undertake a PhD in Respiratory medicine, you may be able to apply to Asthma and Lung UK. 

PhD Studentship applications must be made by a prospective PhD student as the principal applicant, with established investigator(s) named as co-applicants who will act as primary and secondary supervisors for the named student. Supervision should be provided from a respiratory clinician and a senior data scientist who has an interest in health. The PhD project and application should be developed alongside supervisors. The PhD student can have a respiratory (clinical or non-clinical) and/or data science background. 

To find out more, visit Apply for funding 2024 - 2025 | Asthma + Lung UK 

Junior Fellowships support post-doctoral researchers to continue research after their PhD and allow them to generate further preliminary data, continue data analysis and/or finalise/secure publications (e.g. from PhD data). Applicants must not have been the Principal Investigator/ Grant holder of a grant award in excess of £100,000 previously.

To find out more, visit Apply for funding 2024 - 2025 | Asthma + Lung UK 

When you're studying for a PhD, supporting yourself financially can be an added worry. Asthma and Lung UK are supporting healthcare professionals who are studying for their PhD as part of their Leadership Academy, to help them take the next step in their career and become patient focused researchers. 

Who can apply? 

Healthcare professionals who have secured a PhD, or are currently undertaking their PhD in a respiratory subject and will have at least 6 months remaining at June 2025 (at the time the award is made). You do not have to have experience, or currently be working with, people living with lung conditions, but your PhD must involve respiratory research. 

The following healthcare professionals are able to apply: 

• Clinical scientists 

• Dietitians 

• Midwives

• Nurses 

• Occupational therapists

• Paramedics 

• Physiotherapists 

• Physiologists

• Pharmacists

• Practitioner psychologists 

• Radiographers

• Speech and language therapists 

To find out more, visit PhD support for healthcare professionals | Asthma + Lung UK 

We are seeking individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about addressing the pressing challenges within neurotechnology. Your ideas could be at any stage of maturity, and could focus on:

• Early-stage diagnosis of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

• Therapeutic approaches, including novel modalities, bio-hybrids, innovative device-based platforms, medicinal agents, and other non-drug interventions. 

• Providing support for those living with these disorders.

You also don’t need to consider yourself part of the “neurotech” community to apply—what matters is your ability to think boldly and contribute innovative solutions. We encourage applications from:

• Engineers, scientists, clinicians, medical professionals, and industry experts.

• Those who can explore speculative ideas or refine them for transformative impact.

• Those who will be empowered by this partnership – in ways otherwise not possible.

To find out more, visit Fellowship Programme | Cambridge Network 

Are you a healthcare professional with a passion for improving patient care?
Do you want to improve patient outcomes by leading groundbreaking research studies?
 

Please come along to this event to find out more:

Virtual event: Could you be a research delivery leader?

Wednesday 12 March 2025 (12.30pm to 2.00pm)  

Registration is now open:

Learn more about applying for our part time, online Master’s level clinical research delivery leadership qualifications offered by the University of Sheffield, Exeter, Newcastle and KCL at this event.

· Suitable for all healthcare professionals who have no or limited research experience and those currently working in research delivery.

· All courses are designed for part time learning to fit around busy schedules.

· All courses consist of theory-based online learning modules and a research practice experience module. The ‘research practice’ module helps students to develop their skills and expertise by working on research projects alongside experienced mentors.

A number of DHSC funded bursaries for course fees will be available. More details will be provided at the event.  

What the event will cover: 

You’ll learn about each of the qualifications that are available, how the courses are delivered and details about bursaries that are available to support you. Further information, together with our event registration form can be found on the event home page.