NIHR CRN West Midlands
Health & Care Research Scholar and Personal Development Award Programme 2024/2026
***Link to Top tips for applying for a Scholarship award Webinar here ***
**Our programme was highly commended for the HST Global Talent Acquistion strategy of the year award at the HMPA Awards 2022 **
Background
The Clinical Research Network West Midlands is the largest Network and one of the 15 Clinical Research Networks in England, covering a population size of 5.9 million.
Previous regional analyses identified a lack of Chief Investigators (CI) developing research grants in the region and total number of CIs conducting National Institute for Health and Care Research Portfolio studies in the region falling substantially below national average. Given this background, the Clinical Research Network West Midlands leadership team has identified and prioritised increasing CI capacity as a key strategic aim. This programme has demonstrated considerable success in its first few years with further data on the outcomes and outputs from the programme available here.
The scholar posts are aimed at all NHS, public health and social care staff in order to maximise access to research across the West Midlands wherever there is a health and care need. The NIHR is committed to actively and openly supporting and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Due to the competitiveness of the programme, applications will be prioritised to those addressing the unmet healthcare needs of the local or regional populations (see desirable criteria for more information). Priority will also be given to ensure equity of access to the programme geographically across the West Midlands region.
As part of this strategy, the CRN is supporting potential CIs for two years; the Health and Care Research Scholars programme is aimed at research active individuals who wish to become CIs. More information on our previous scholars and outputs can be found here
Open Date
Mid December 2023
Closing Date
31 January 2024
Programmes Guidance
1) Health and Care Research Scholars (RS)
Successful applicants will spend one day per week (equivalent to two sessions or programmed activities (PAs) a week) participating in research activities, working in a unit with time, skills and track record to support career development. Where appropriate an individualised bespoke programme will be developed, based within departments at a research active unit to support study development. Qualitative, quantitative, action research and trials methodology proposals will be considered.
Where relevant, attachment to one of the regional Clinical Trials Units (CTUs): Birmingham (two), Warwick and Keele working with methodologists, systematic reviewers, grant writers, data managers, statisticians or epidemiologists as appropriate to develop their grant applications or publications. See here for more information.
2) Personal Development Award (PDA)
This award may be used in a variety of ways, for example funding time to take up PI or associate PI opportunities to support recruitment to a local study. and also prior to applying for a future Clinical Research Scholarship, for example Health Education England/NIHR Pre-Doctoral Clinical Academic Fellows (PCAF) programmes or NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowships (CDRF).
This Award, however, will not in itself fund a higher degree such as PhD. See here for more information
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Whilst the award itself will be tailored to the individual, broadly the following will be provided for all candidates:
Protected time: one day a week
Access to training programmes, including Good Clinical Practice (GCP), clinical research modules and courses, training in literature search and systematic review, grant writing course, etc
Opportunity to network and collaborate with other CRN clinical funded fellows such as Health & Care Research Scholars through regular online meetings
Awards will be made for a maximum of 24 months, subject to meeting agreed milestones that will be reviewed at 12 and 24 months
Contact Details
Informal enquiries are encouraged.
The application form should be submitted to Jane Willcocks at training.crnwestmidlands@nihr.ac.uk. If appropriate, where co-funding will occur, a financial summary outlining the CRN and host institutions contributions should be included.
Who Can Apply?
Eligibility:
Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPPS) employed by Partner NHS Trusts within the West Midlands, working in Primary Care or in Social Care settings.
Qualified Primary Care staff (GPs or Nurses, Midwives, or Allied Health Professionals)
Public Health professionals
Social Care professionals
Dentists
Employed by a Network Partner Organisation of the CRN West Midlands
Priority will be given to projects and scholars developing projects which meet the needs of underserved regional communities and those meeting the national and regional research priorities
Written confirmation is required from the employing organisation to release them from health and care services for the duration of the Scholarship and to return them to operational duties if necessary. Additionally, the application should be reviewed and approved by the manager with responsibility for research (e.g. Head of Research, Research Director or manager or equivalent) within the employing organisation. If, however, large numbers of applications are submitted from a single organisation then there may be a need to internally prioritise those applications, and if this is necessary the review panel will contact the relevant organisation.