YOUR CAREER PATH IN
RESEARCH

STARTS IN THE
NORTH WEST COAST

YOUR CAREER PATH IN RESEARCH

STARTS IN THE NORTH WEST COAST

The NIHR supports a vibrant community of health and social care researchers from different professions, backgrounds and research interests. We have over 4,000 members who are accessing our training programmes or support these programmes, from doctors and dentists to nurses and midwives, from allied health professionals and social care workers to methodologists and public health professionals. Our members also work in a variety of settings including hospitals, universities, within local authorities or in community settings.

This page is constantly updated

2022
START
5/20

North West Workforce Team

The North West Workforce Team work across Greater Manchester and North West Coast Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs), ensuring that there is a cohesive workforce, learning & development offer to our Partner Organisations and the wider workforce. They offer research-specific training programmes via NIHR Learn (that can be a link) which lists the virtual and classroom events such as GCP (Good Clinical Practice) and Research Delivery Team Essentials & Informed Consent. The team also has suggested learning plans for Research Delivery Teams and Principal Investigators.

Please email us at learning.lcrnsnorthwest@nihr.ac.uk if you have any queries or for further information.

2022
5/20

Research & Development Team

Most NHS Trusts have their own Research & Development (R&D) department that is responsible for the research management, support, and leadership of all aspects of research across the Trust and performs a variety of roles and functions to drive and deliver clinical research in a supportive and safe environment. The size and role of an R&D office or department will vary depending on the ambition, size, and complexity of the organisation’s research portfolio. Typically, the R&D department will act as a first port of call for research activity and will have a key role to play in building relationships both within the organisation and externally, supporting researchers, promoting research activity and performance, and creating a positive environment for staff and patient and public involvement in research.

Contact your local research office to find out more about what they do and how they support research in your organisation.

2022
5/20

Early Career Researcher Programme

The Network invites nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals with an interest in research to join this innovative and unique 12-month early career researcher development pathway programme. The programme is funded by Clinical Research Network North West Coast and lead by NHS Research and Development North West, which includes leadership coaches, organisational development experts, facilitators and a range of visiting speakers who will cover specialist topics.

2022
5/20

Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Internships

The Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC) consists of health and social care providers, NHS commissioners, local authorities, universities, public advisers, the Innovation Agency (Academic Health Science Network), working together to learn more about these health inequalities, and overcome the barriers around translating these discoveries in health research into practice which improves lives. ARC NWC offer internships which are open to individuals employed within their member organisations who have an established interest in research, implementation and evaluation, and are looking to begin the next stage of their research career. Further details on ARC NWC and opportunities that they offer can be found here: https://arc-nwc.nihr.ac.uk

In addition to the ARC internships, check out the ARC NWC capacity build web pages for further information about their offers including PhD opportunities’  https://arc-nwc.nihr.ac.uk/impact/capacity-building/

2022
5/20

Research Scholars Programme

The Network’s Research Scholars Programme is an interactive developmental programme aimed at equipping tomorrow’s clinical research leaders with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to become the Principal and Chief Investigators of the future. It is aimed at research-interested individuals from a wide range of roles including doctors, nurse’s pharmacists, radiographers, occupational therapists, physiologists, physiotherapists, radiotherapists, and biomedical scientists.
For more information and to register your interest for the next cohort intake contact learning.lcrnsnorthwest@nihr.ac.uk.

2023
2/12

Advanced Research Scholar Programme

Applicants should have completed the CRN NWC Research Scholars Programme, and consider themselves to be sufficiently experienced to develop a research grant and work with other collaborators to develop a credible bid. Whilst this programme will largely be self-directed, mentoring and grant writing support (from within regional NIHR infrastructure) will be provided to support applicants with their bid.

Priority will be given to applications which:

a) focus on populations within the NWC region,
that are under-represented in research and/or
b) represent a significant disease burden within NWC.

2022
5/20

Research Design Service North West (RDS NW)

The Research Design Service North West (RDS NW) provides design and methodological support to health and social care researchers in the North West of England to develop grant applications to the NIHR and other open national peer-reviewed funding programmes. https://www.rds-nw.nihr.ac.uk/

2022
5/20

Universities

Within the North West Coast region there are 7 universities, which have a wide range of research interests and involvement. They are: Edge Hill University, Lancaster University, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Central Lancashire, University of Chester, University of Liverpool.

2022
5/20

Innovation Agency

The Innovation Agency is one of 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSN) working together in the AHSN Network, the innovation arm of the NHS. More information about support that they provide can be found via https://www.innovationagencynwc.nhs.uk/support

2022
5/20

NIHR Academy

The NIHR Academy is responsible for the development and coordination of NIHR academic training, career development and research capacity development.

The academy plays a pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best health and care researchers to tackle the complex challenges of the future. The training and career development awards provided complement the additional NIHR investment in world-class research facilities and a skilled research workforce.https://www.nihr.ac.uk/explore-nihr/support/academy.htm

2022
5/20

Clinician Researcher Programme

In 2020-21 the CRN NWC launched a new scheme, to support established clinicians (including medical, nursing and AHPs) interested in pursuing and leading their own clinical research. 

The scheme, the Clinician Researcher Award, supported clinicians, with suitable experience, to be Chief Investigators/Co-Chief Investigators with time and support to develop their research idea into grant submission(s). This scheme is no longer available and following feedback will be relaunched as The Advanced Research Scholars Programme (A-RSP) reflecting the fact that a “foundation” programme, such as the Research Scholars Programme, is necessary to meet the desired objectives within a 12-month period.

2022
5/20

Clinical Academic Research Partnership (CARP)

A Clinical Academic Research Partnership (CARP) is a grant that offers support to develop research interests through collaborative partnerships. Usually they are aimed at a research-qualified healthcare professional at consultant level or equivalent, not currently undertaking any substantial research activity. They are offered by different bodies but an example can be found via https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/mrc-clinical-academic-research-partnership/