Speaker 1
Welcome to another campfire conversation. I am delighted to be joined by Kate Coates, who I’ll get to introduce herself in a moment to talk about how you might think you could become research aware or research active in your work now or in a future direction. In your workforce and career development travels. Hello, my name is Carrie Biddle. I am the regional head for the allied health professionals, psychological professionals, and healthcare scientists with NHS England Southwest in the workforce, training and education directorate, and I’m cozying up on this log beside my good friend and colleague Kate Coates. Who has kindly agreed to have this curious conversation and share some of the insights and experiences she’s had in becoming involved in research with it not necessarily being through a clinical academic route. So welcome, Kate to the campfire.
Speaker 2
Thank you, Carrie. Yeah, I’m Kate Coates, I’m a physiotherapist by background based in Bristol. But as Carrie said, I’ve been working in research for some time. I currently work as the lead research allied health professional for a national randomised controlled trial called committed.
Speaker 1
Excellent, thanks, Kate. So, I’m really interested for you to just share a bit more background about what you do, what your kind of day involves or your role involves and if you can and would be, you know, pleased to do so to give some ideas to other people who may be interested to take a different route into research along the lines that you have.
Speaker 2
Yeah, of course. I mean, one of the things that often gets referenced talking about research careers is this idea of squiggly careers. So, no two paths are always the same but I can obviously shed some light on my path so far. So having worked rotationally for as a physio for around five years, I realised that my preferred clinical area to specialise in was trauma and there weren’t any static jobs in trauma at that time in my trust, and so I decided to apply for a research delivery post in our local trauma research team. I did that for a few years. I was working on a range of different trauma and orthopaedic trials, and through that I met a consultant in emergency care who was running this national ED trauma trial and I moved to my current post as a lead research AHP. So as you said, I’ve I’ve been involved in research for nearly ten years now, but not as a clinical academic and I really wanted to share some of my experiences, thought and thoughts around the ways in which they’re allied health professionals who don’t want to be a clinical academic or don’t want to be one yet can get involved in research because we all know that evidence based practise is crucial to achieving excellence in the care of our patients and that research is important in making sure that the services and. Treatments we offer are both clinically and cost effective. So, in terms of my first job in the trauma research delivery team, I guess that’s what most people might associate with a research nurse, so I was just a research physio cause my background, but it was the same thing. So, as I said, I was involved in multiple studies and these are studies that are being run by other people, so I’m not running them, but they need patients at my hospital to be screened for eligibility to be approached about possibly being involved in the trial and then for me to complete all of the necessary consent and data collection paperwork. So, it was really different from my previous role as a physio on the wards, but it was a fantastic way to further my learning. I was able to take time away from a heavy clinical caseload and just have a bit more time and headspace to start attending the daily trauma meetings and the fracture clinics alongside the consultants get the benefit of learning from watching their work, reviewing X-rays and scans and really getting a better understanding of the latest treatments and clinical thinking that were being tested in these trials. People often think that doing research has to be doing your own projects, but in fact typically that the highest quality research are those randomised controlled trials that take place across the country, so that we know that the results are generalizable across the population and not just that one hospital and in order for people to deliver these big multi sense trials, we need an army of delivery staff to recruit patients into the trial and then collect data to see how they get on so these research delivery posts are really, really valuable and a great way for AHPs to learn more about research processes without feeling the pressure to run your own project. Then, as I said, I was lucky to move on to my current national role, which wasn’t something I was planning to do or expecting to do. But again, the great thing about research is that there’s always new projects coming along, new opportunities being created and new doors to go through that might change your direction and possibly the trajectory of your current career path.
Speaker 1
Wow, that sounds so exciting. I love the concept and idea of being part of the research army. As you said there, you don’t have to be the one creating new ideas or leading on a research initiative. There’s lots of work to be done and actually that scalability and we know those randomised control trials are so important to build that body of evidence. Being part of that army to get patients and service uses recruited in and understanding it is really important and that connectivity with the front facing clinical teams so that they are aware of and to share your knowledge and experience to attract to other people in and make them know what’s coming and what trials they can get involved in. I like also the idea that it’s, you know, there’s always new. There’s always gonna be new projects, new funding initiatives, new research coming. So, this is a revolving door of opportunity for people to come and push on if they want to, to go around and experience and explore it. So, what top tips might you have for someone who might want to become research active in a research delivery role. Where would they look, Kate?
Speaker 2
So, I think the biggest thing to flag is the fact that these jobs. The tide is turning, but they’re still often advertised for research nurses, and so it might be that allied health professionals don’t spot them or don’t think that they’re applicable for them. So, keep an eye on just your normal NHS job vacancy sites, whether that’s your local organisation or the national one. And don’t assume that just because it’s listed as a nurse that you aren’t qualified. Look at the job description and see if there’s an obvious reason why it has to be a nurse. Sometimes there will be a reason, depending on the intervention, that the trial’s looking at or you know the skills required, but not always, and chances are that it’s just dogma that that it’s been put out as a research nurse post and so if you’re interested, contact the vacancy lead and ask why it’s not suitable for an allied health professional. I’d also bear in mind that, you know, don’t be put off if it’s a full-time post, research delivery posts often work well as part time or job search shares. So consider submitting an application, that’s important obviously for those of you that only work part time and want to maintain that but also for those of you that maybe are in a full time clinical role and you’re not quite sure if research is right for you, if you potentially were to apply for a part-time post and it could be that you can keep up a clinical role alongside so that you you’re not so worried about deskilling or whether making the move into research is the right thing or not. You can test the water before you leap across fully. And the other thing I’d flag is that often these research delivery posts start at Band 5 or Band 6 level. So, you probably want to be thinking about it earlier in your career, if possible, before the jump down in salary becomes too great to consider. Often that is a barrier for people that are more advanced in their careers because they just don’t want to take that jump. so, think about it early. And also, for your team, if you’re in a more advanced role, but you’ve got juniors working alongside you, it might be that you nudge them in the direction to have a look.
Speaker 1
Great. And I want to move the conversation on slightly because I have lots of people reach out to me and through the engagement and the work that we’re doing through the developing a research skilled workforce programme around actually I want to do my clinical job and do research, so they’re not looking for a career, move into research or a research pathway. They want to embed and become more research aware and research active in their jobs that they’re in now. Could you give us some ideas of what people could do now to be, you know, that, you know, more research informed and research aware in, in the jobs that they’re in.
Speaker 2
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, although I think it’s important to highlight the delivery role because it’s maybe an area that that AHP’s typically don’t consider. You’re right that that lots of people go into this profession because they, you know, they want to be clinical patient facing. So, I think it’s important to bear in mind that although the delivery teams will do the bulk of the work when it comes to consenting patients into these trials and collecting data, there’s still potential with some trials for allied health professionals to support the delivery. So, it might be a rehab trial where therapists could get involved delivering the intervention that’s being tested. It might be radiographers helping to identify a potentially eligible patients who present with a certain injury and are being. X-rayed, so sort of part of that screening process. There’s also other opportunity that’s a really useful one to flag, so the National Institute for Health and Care Research run what’s called an associate principal investigator scheme. This is not for all research trials, but it’s growing in popularity and it’s an opportunity for individuals, healthcare professionals, to get six months experience working under the guidance of a local site lead who’s working on one of these multi centre trials and it’s a chance to dip your toe into the water to see what’s involved in running a trial and importantly, it can often be slotted in alongside your everyday work. So, let’s say for example you’re an extended scope MSK practitioner working in ED. You may have a trial that’s looking at a particular type of risk fracture. You’re seeing those patients on a daily basis and you’re just then going to be looking out for the patients, as I say, that are eligible and flagging it to the research team. That’s a really, really important role and one that can really support the successful delivery of one of these big trials, the scheme is affiliated to the Council for Allied Health Professional Research and it’s endorsed by all of the associated AHP, Royal Colleges and Societies such as Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Royal College of Occupational Therapy. So, it looks really good on your CV and on your portfolios and as I say, can often just be slotted into your daily workload without a huge extra burden. Also important to bear in mind that as an allied health professional, you can actually be really valuable as a participant in someone else’s research. There’s always lots of surveys, interview focus, group projects going on, so you could keep an eye out and volunteer to take part. I find that Twitter or X, as it’s now known as a good place to spot things. Or you can check obviously your individual professional group websites, and you know often masters projects are flagged on there, so please do consider volunteering for those. I think it’s also useful to be aware of what’s going on locally, as advocates for your patient, so it might be that there’s a trial running that they’re suitable to take part in, or maybe they’re already part of that should always be clear to you from their notes with contact details for the research team if you did have any queries. But it might be that when you’re working clinically, you think of an issue that maybe no one else was thought of before, maybe that’s the first light bulb moment that this is an area that could benefit from research, and even if you don’t want to lead on that research, it might be that someone else within your workplace might, if they were made aware of it and you’re the first person to recognise it as a problem so it could be that you know you flag it to the more research active people in your department or your organisation and you just support them with developing the research project. Also, when research projects are designed and developed, it’s really important that patients with lived experience of that condition are included to make sure that the research is relevant to them and accessible for them. So it might be that you identify someone you know, a patient who would be interested in interested in supporting that side of things. It’s called patient and public involvement. And so, your local research and development department might be grateful for you, you know, flagging somebody there where who’s interested in in getting a patient that’s interested in getting involved in research.
Speaker 1
Great. So, I think you’ve given a really good list of ways and places and spaces that people might be interested. So, if they’re sitting here now listening to us having our conversation and thinking, yeah, this is right up my street, who might be the people or the departments, within their, where they work now that they would reach out to, that could be their critical connectors.
Speaker 2
So, the obvious starting point would be seeing whether your organisation has a research and development department. Certainly, most acute trusts will but see if they’ve got a website, because it’s often that they have their current projects listed. But even if not, just reach out e-mail their you know their inbox or pick up the phone, give them a ring and just introduce yourself. You might find that there’s a delivery team working within your own specialty, and they’ll be grateful to know that you’re keen to help so that they can keep your mind if suitable projects come up. As you’ve said, projects are always changing as one finishes another opens, so even if there’s nothing suitable now, it doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future, so they’ll be really grateful to know that you’re a keen individual in that area. If you don’t have an R&D department, then you’ll just find out who’s research active in your workplace or your specialty. There might be a consultant leading on a trial and make yourself known to them, register that interest and it may be as I say, that you can support their plans for a project bringing your specialist knowledge, especially if they’ve not got an AHP on board. If you don’t feel confident to approach somebody like that, if you feel like you’re, you know, you’re lacking confidence, then we’ve got some we’re really lucky in the South West to have some great resources. So the Council for allied health professional research that I mentioned, it’s a national organisation, but they have regional hubs and there’s a southwest hub. So, if you just have a look through Google for CHPR, see how CHPR and look for the Southwest hub. There are individuals on there who are more than happy for you to, you know reach out with questions. don’t worry how silly or trivial they might seem they’re there to support you, to signpost you to useful resources, and they also run sort of conversation cafes you can just drop in and as I say, raise any questions if you don’t feel confident reaching out locally. Listen out at conferences for any trials that might be opening and are looking for more sites to take part. If there’s one that piques your interest again, you could flag it to your research and development department, see if they know about it, see if they’re interested.
Speaker 1
Amazing. You’ve mentioned a really another important word in what you’ve discussed there confidence. Lots of people don’t feel confident, the old imposter syndrome gets in, and they think ohh research is something happens by really clever people over here in a really academic space. And actually, if we want to draw people in and we want them to build their confidence in feeling that it is accessible, so you’re curious, but maybe not feeling confident, is there anyone else? Where else would I go, Kate, to have a conversation to get me going?
Speaker 2
Yep. So, I’ve mentioned the CAPR hub, that’s a really good place to start. We’ve also got the developing a research skilled workforce in the South West. So, this runs out of Plymouth University, and it’s dedicated to developing and supporting research skills in health and care workforce across the SW. So, they’ve also got a website with some really useful resources and webinars that you can look through on your own, but they also are building a network of research champions. So individuals across the SW who will be happy for you to approach them with any queries regardless of how small or trivial it may seem, so, I’d certainly recommend you head to either of those two websites in terms of building confidence, I mentioned the associate PI scheme already, so you can have a look at further information on that from the National Institute of Health Research Health and Care Research website. But if that’s not applicable to your area, you can’t find a trial that’s running that you’re suitable to be an associate PI for, then there will be other teaching available. Locally, so the library is a really good place to start. If you’ve got a library attached to your organisation, they often run sessions, so my local library for example have just been running critical appraisal sessions, and they’re generally very happy to support you so if you don’t feel confident, as I say, appraising literature or doing a literature search, just reach out to your library and they will help and it might be that with the help you then feel confident to get a journal club up and running in your department because we need to remember that the consumption of research is just as important as the delivery and design of it. There’s no point people running all of these projects and trials if no one reads the results and puts them into practise. Your local university might also help, so I know here in Bristol we have UWE who offer personal training awards for people to complete a Masters module so you know you can apply for funding and complete a Masters module in research methods that can be a good way to build confidence. And the other thing that you could consider and once you maybe feel a bit more confident with critical appraisal, is thinking about getting involved with peer review for journal articles. Nationally, we’re hoping to grow AHP involvement in research, so there will be a growing demand for people to help peer review the articles that are being submitted and that’s a really good way to help not only keep on top of the latest evidence in your area, but also develop your research skills, understanding what makes a good piece of research.
Speaker 1
Wonderful. I’ve made a few notes, so I’ve got the Council for AHP Research, our SW hub, I’ve got the NIHR, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, I’ve got our developing a research skilled workforce and libraries love, I love my library, love your library folks, they are wonderful places with people that are there, happy to help you connect and work out how you can make the most of the knowledge and expertise that they have, but also to support with knowledge mobilisation of the evidence base to make sure we’re doing all we can to improve outcomes for our patients and people living in local communities. So, thank you very much, Kate, for joining me around the campfire for this conversation on research. I wish you all the best before we go, why not, let’s toast some marshmallows.
Speaker 2
Sounds good.