Helping health and care staff find 'Routes to Research'

Fuse has joined forces with health and care organisations across the North East to create a new resource to make the complex research landscape more accessible and easy to understand.

The newly launched Routes to Research website is a wealth of information, resources and links to help healthcare professionals get started in research, develop their expertise and connect with other research staff who can guide them on their career path.

It was developed by NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) North East and North Cumbria in collaboration with the Academic Health Science Network (ASHN) North East and North Cumbria and other regional organisations that work in health and care research, including Fuse, the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC), Health Education England, and the Newcastle Health Innovation Partners.

The website was created as part of the NIHR CRN North East and North Cumbria’s strategic theme of ‘embedding and enabling research - attracting, training and supporting all staff’. One of the main goals for the website is to make the complex research landscape more accessible and easy to understand. It does not duplicate other pre-existing resources; instead, it signposts to the excellent opportunities and support that already exist in our region.

Routes to Research is an evolving website and more content will be added to it continuously. Further additions that are currently planned include a focus on primary care and research in community settings.

Sharon Dorgan, Senior Strategic Manager and Workforce Development Lead for the NIHR CRN North East and North Cumbria, said: “Our hope is that Routes to Research will become an invaluable resource to any health and care professional who would like to include research in their day-to-day work, and to anybody who would like to progress their research career.

“A big thank you to all the individuals and organisations who have helped develop the website, including those who shared their inspiring research stories and those who have formally endorsed the website.”

Dr Bob Barber, Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Strategic Theme Lead for Embedding Research at the NIHR CRN North East and North Cumbria, said: “We are very excited to be launching this website, which was created by staff, for staff. We wanted to create something that has a regional feel and that connects people from across the North East and North Cumbria to illustrate the diversity of research opportunities that exist in our region and beyond.

“We look forward to expanding and improving the website over the coming months - stay tuned for more content!”

Healthcare professionals are encouraged to signpost any colleagues who may benefit from Routes to Research to the website and to contact nenccommunications@nihr.ac.uk if there are any news items, features or updates you feel would be useful to include.

Last modified: Wed, 17 May 2023 15:46:44 BST