In this blog post, Rhianne Bostock of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Research Delivery Team tells us about the Clinical Research Practitioner role and how she is championing the scheme.

Clinical Research Practitioners

Clinical Research Practitioners (CRPs) are members of the Research Delivery Team who work alongside nurses, clinicians, and allied health professionals to help deliver clinical research. CRPs are staff without a professional healthcare registration and come from a variety of backgrounds.

CRP’s work alongside clinical colleagues on all aspects of research delivery, including screening and recruiting participants, supporting participants through the consent process, carrying out assessments, delivering treatments and interventions, completing study paperwork, managing study site files, and ensuring research governance procedures are adhered to.

The CRP Directory

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) invite CRPs to join the CRP Directory, a community of practice and pre-registration space, providing updates on CRP learning and development opportunities.

Once on the directory CRPs can apply to join the Accredited Register, regulated by the Professional Standards Authority and the Academy for Healthcare Sciences (AHCS). To join the register, CRPs must have been in post for 12 months, have completed the Competency Framework at a Level 2 and then complete the portfolio package required to apply. Once on the Register, CRP’s must revalidate each year.

Registration

The benefits of gaining CRP registration include providing a professional identity for this vital research delivery role and recognition of the contribution they make to healthcare research. It provides participants and service users with reassurance that CRPs are trained, competent, regulated and continuing their professional development to maintain high standards of care and research delivery. In addition, study teams and trial managers can be reassured that Registered CRPs are all working to the same high professional standards.

“I am a keen advocate for the promotion of CRP’s. We play a vital role in the successful running and management of research studies, bringing a wealth of knowledge and varied experience to the team. I encourage the CRPs in our team to complete their registration and take ownership of the recognition for all that we do.”

In Nottinghamshire Healthcare, all new CRPs in the Research Delivery Team are assigned a mentor when they start. The mentor guides them through an introduction to the Competency Framework and will help structure their goals and targets in order to help them achieve their goals.

All CRP Champions in the East Midlands meet with the NIHR Clinical Research Network East Midlands Workforce Development Team, providing a network across our regional Trusts, and provide support to ensure all CRP’s have the opportunity to develop.

For further information about CRPs please contact Rhianne Bostock – CRP Champion: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..