Researcher Development

Research Awareness

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) offers a three week online course on What is Health Research  aimed at patients and the public which is also a useful general  introduction to health research.

Learn more here.

NIHR have also produced a video Clinical research is everyone’s future which shows the value of research and the different roles that healthcare professionals can play, from promoting patient participation through to research leadership.

Watch it here.

The Royal College of General Practitioners has a Research Ready programme to enable whole practice teams to upskill and engage with research and become an accredited practice.

Find out more here.

Ready for Research?

Are you ready to research? Are you a recent graduate or a new member of staff in an NHS trust or a masters student?

LHP is here to help if you want to expand your role, want to be part of a research support team or an independent researcher.

We have assisted the NIHR CRN North West Coast in developing a researcher pathway at all stages of the research journey. You can see the pathway here.

We will constantly be providing new resources if this is where you find yourself so keep an eye on this page and please contact us if you need help and advice on how to get into research or want to expand your skills within your organisation.

The Royal College of general practitioners has a Research Ready programme to enable whole practice teams to upskill and engage with research and become an accredited practice. This will be a great place to start your journey.

Find out more here.

Your first steps in research

Are you undertaking your first research project? 

It is most likely you’re under the supervision of a more experienced researcher but you might still want some extra help and support. 

Along with our partners, LHP wants to help you develop core research skills in more detail, methodologies for research, analysis of findings and dissemination. 

So where to start?

The NIHR have lots of information about training events on via the Clinical Research Network North West Workforce, Learning & Development Team. Check out these information pages.

You could also complete the Delegation of Duties in Research e-learning module via NIHR Learn to help you formulate a plan of action. You will need to create an NIHR account.

Create an account and learn more about national online courses here.

Vitae is a non-profit programme, part of the Careers Research & Advisory Centre (CRAC) Ltd, with more than 50 years’ experience of enhancing the skills of researchers. They have a range of researcher development resources that will be accessible for academics and clinical academics. You can find out more here.

The NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) NWC offer methodological support for applied health research that addresses inequalities. Find out more here.

Becoming a principle investigator

If you are an independent researcher writing bids as principle investigator and potentially supervising researchers on grants, or you are an academic, clinical academic or NHS researcher there is support available.

You might want to learn more about working with Public Patient Involvement or engaging with stakeholders. Do you need to expand collaborations and networking opportunities?

There is support for implementation of research, supervision skills and the development and support of others.

The NIHR hold a workshop for new or future PIs. You can find out more here  (you will need an account first). 

Research leadership as a Principle Investigator or Chief Investigator

If you are an established researcher looking to undertake Chief Investigator (CI) bids or larger infrastructure bids, someone who wants to lead research networks or co-ordinate research groups and departments advanced leadership skills are crucial.

The NHS Leadership Academy provides general support for senior leadership development. Find out more here.

NHS R&D North West exists to support the capability and capacity of the NHS health and social care research workforce. They provide the training, mentoring, and coaching to create a workforce passionate about research and its impact on patient care.

They also have a library of past events which are a useful resource. You can find out more here.