Chief AHP's blog
Date of release: 30 August 2024
Reflecting on the success of Research ABC project
By Dr Ros Leslie
As we celebrate the first anniversary of the successful bid for our Research ABC project, I want to highlight developments with the project team.
When it began – following a successful Clinical Research Network West Midlands Improvement and Innovation Strategic Funding bid – its leader Dr Ali Aries, AHP Research Lead at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), was relatively new to her role.
This was an exciting opportunity to work with many AHPs keen on research, especially the project team and its 93 Research Champions. A year on, people still contact Ali.
“The new Research Engagement And CHat (REACH) sessions are proving a great forum for multi-disciplinary research discussions and networking,” said Ali.
“Holding these on the last Wednesday of every month has enabled people to ask questions and share experiences.”
Louise Wallace was seconded from The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (DGFT) Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy team to the Research ABC team.
Louise is proud of all that the team has achieved. Following the project, she has presented at the Physiotherapy Research Society Conference and at the DGFT Research Seminar and has a poster at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy conference in October 2024.
She said: “Without Research ABC, I wouldn’t have had the confidence or skills to rise to these challenges. I now have half a day per week as protected research time.
“I’ve set up an AHP Research Champion Group, I’m developing a MSK Critically Appraised Topic Group and Journal Club in our team and involved in establishing a Patient and Public Involvement Group.”
Roanna Burgess is an AHP Consultant and MSK Service lead at Sandwell and West Birmingham (SWB) NHS Trust, and a Senior Research Fellow at Keele University.
She is to start a NIHR-funded Senior Practitioner and Clinical Research Award (SPCRA) to support post-doctoral clinical academics to combine their clinical and research roles.
“The project has allowed us to join forces across the Black Country to work together to improve opportunities for AHPs in research,” said Roanna.
The project supported Roanna to set up SWB’s first Community of Research Practice (CoRP). This means non-medical professionals have a voice in research plans, objective setting, and strategy development. She hopes we can continue to grow AHP Research Leaders.
Tina Hadley-Barrow’s portfolio role includes MSK Consultant Physiotherapist at RWT and Knowledge Mobilisation practitioner at the Keele University Impact Accelerator Unit.
She was thrilled to be part of an inspirational team and felt very rewarded.
Tina said: “I’m helping to plan a Keele Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) in A Day training day, funded by Research ABC.
“It’s a great opportunity and I’m really looking forward to seeing AHP Black Country colleagues there.”
I’m really pleased supportive environments continue to unite the AHP community to increase research capabilities, opportunities, and networking.
Resources are still on the Research ABC project Team space, where Ali regularly uploads research opportunities. Anyone interested in these should email alison.aries@nhs.net or rwh-tr.researchabcproject@nhs.net.
