The NIHR CLAHRC for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough are now inviting applications for their CLAHRC fellowship programme commencing 1st November 2010. The aim of the CLAHRC Fellowship scheme is to develop future NHS management and clinicians who will have an understanding of research methodology and the research environment, and be equipped with the tools for service redesign and for the introduction of innovation into the NHS. The focus within the Fellowship programme will be on local applied research and evaluation projects, building local capacity for evidence informed practice, and facilitating networking. The CLAHRC Fellows will develop skills and expertise in research and evaluation and apply this learning to either a specific project chosen by the fellow, with supervision from within the CLAHRC, or will contribute to one of the current research projects under supervision of the theme lead or senior researcher.
The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough CLAHRC brings together Cambridge University (Departments of Psychiatry, Institute of Public Health, Engineering Design Centre, Judge Business School) and a number of NHS bodies in the East of England. We believe this will be a unique opportunity to work with Cambridge academics, and to be involved in the translation of health research into practice in the NHS and social care.
The CLAHRC vision is to improve health, patient outcomes and care pathways over the life course by applying health research to care. The Cambridge & Peterborough CLAHRC focuses on people with mental illness, learning disability, acquired brain injury and care for those approaching the end of life. Improving transitions between services and simplifying convolutions in current care pathways are particular objectives that draw upon principles of engineering design and management theory to implement new knowledge.
The C&P CLAHRC is a multi-disciplinary project with the three research themes cross cut by two implementation themes. All members of the CLAHRC work in a collaborative manner in a number of project teams. The themes are:
- Children & Adolescents: With children having been given greater prominence than in our application but retaining a focus on service design and transition.
- Adults: With the focus on learning disability and acquired brain injury, and transitions and collaboration between complex health and social care settings for vulnerable individuals
- Old age and End of Life: Aiming to characterise the mental health of the elderly, improve preventative and treatment interventions, and to facilitate optimal care pathways at the end of life
- Public health and commissioning (cross-cutting theme led by the Cambridge Institute of Public Health) linking to World Class Commissioning competencies
- Design, implementation and management (cross-cutting theme involving the Judge Business School and the Engineering Design Centre).
The fellowship programme will involve a 1 day introductory course followed by a one day per week commitment to a CLAHRC project for a period of one year; some flexibility is possible. In addition, there will be a monthly programme of half-day teaching workshops. The time commitment can be arranged flexibly according to project and circumstances but it is expected that attendance at the teaching workshops would be part of protected time for educational commitments; the key aim is to make the programme valuable to the individual fellow and their employing organisation. The CLAHRC can fund backfill for a Fellow’s time, subject to requirements for approval for the release of protected time from the employer.
We welcome applicants from all health and social care backgrounds with an interest in applied research, currently employed in the NHS or local government in the East of England, and in a current role where there is potential for service change. Applications will be shortlisted for interviews to be held in September.
The cohort of C&P CLAHRC Fellows will comprise an action learning set (ALS) with a facilitator, and will form part of a national, dynamic cadre of fellows from other CLAHRCs in England. Further information on the application is available below. The deadline for applications is 4pm on 2nd September 2010.
Any queries about the application process can be sent to the C&P CLAHRC Manager Mrs Diane Cook at diane.cook@cpft.nhs.uk
Application process for CLAHRC Fellows