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Centre for Clinical and Care Research About us

Northern Care Alliance’s Centre for Clinical and Care Research (CCR) provides a foundation for nurses, midwives, Allied Health Professionals, Pharmacists and Healthcare Scientists (NMAPH) to gain the skills and confidence to become research leaders.

It supports those wishing to pursue a clinical academic career, as well as those seeking to gain research skills and a greater understanding of the value research brings to improving clinical care.

Working with our academic partners (including The University of Manchester and University of Salford), we are developing training opportunities that support a culture in which NMAPHs consider the application of research and innovation to be a core component of all roles, contributing to the development of a culture of continuous improvement. A key ambition is to develop a cadre of clinical academic NMAPHs within the trust.

The aim is that colleagues have the opportunity to engage with R&I and improvement activity in some way to benefit patient care, whether this be through using robust evidence from R&I to inform practice, involvement in supporting R&I projects, or leading their own programmes of research, innovation and/or improvement.

Colleagues will be supported to lead on, and participate in, research, innovation and improvement projects that address local as well as national clinical needs.

The CCR is led by Professor Heather Iles-Smith, NCA’s and the University of Salford’s inaugural Chair of Nursing. She is a Clinical Academic Nurse who has gained significant clinical and research expertise working across a number of NHS Trusts and Universities in the North of England.

The centre has a three-year plan and aims to achieve four main objectives:

  • Talent spotting
  • Mentoring and supporting existing and developing researchers
  • Providing research skills development
  • Creating research career pathways

You can read more about the plan here.

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