UKCRN Leads identified to help development of Comprehensive Research Network

The NHS R&D Strategy Best Research for Best Health widened the scope of the UK Clinical Research Network (UKCRN) through the planned creation of a Comprehensive Research Network within the NHS in England which will encompass the full spectrum of disease and clinical need.

The original purpose of the UKCRN Coordinating Centre was to oversee the establishment and ongoing management of the six Topic Clinical Networks. However, the UKCRN Coordinating Centre will now provide the national coordinating function for the Comprehensive NHS Research Network on behalf of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and in consultation with the Department of Health. The first stage in this development will be to identify the Comprehensive Local Research Networks.

As a result of this, a group of ten local Leads have been identified to support UKCRN in implementing and developing the Comprehensive NHS Research Network. They are:

Claire Cordeaux, UKCRN Lead for East of England
Email: claire.cordeaux@eoe.nhs.uk  

Wendy Fisher, UKCRN Lead for London
Email: wendy.fisher@selondon.nhs.uk  

Ian Goodall, UKCRN Lead for South Central
Email: ian.goodall@orh.nhs.uk  

Jonathan Gower, UKCRN Lead for Yorkshire and Humber
j.gower@leeds.ac.uk  

Rhian Hughes, UKCRN Lead for West Midlands
Email: r.w.hughes@cphc.keele.ac.uk  

Craig Mackerness, UKCRN Lead for North East
Email: craig.mackerness@nuth.nhs.uk  

Maria Palmer, UKCRN Lead for South West
Email: maria.palmer@ubht.nhs.uk  

Nichola Seare, UKCRN Lead for East Midlands
Email: nichola.seare@eastmidlands.nhs.uk  

John Sitzia, UKCRN Lead for South East Coast
Email: john.sitzia@wash.nhs.uk  

Maria Thornton, UKCRN Lead for North West
Email: maria.thornton@northwest.nhs.uk  

The Leads have been seconded from senior roles within their regional areas and bring with them a raft of local expertise. They will work closely with the UKCRN Coordinating Centre to contribute towards the development and implementation of Comprehensive Local Research Networks (CLRNs) within their SHA geographical areas as well as providing a link between the Coordinating Centre and those engaged in research at a local level. The Leads will help to support the identification of CLRNs and the development of local systems and processes which will ensure that any research that is supported is of high quality and meets the necessary research governance requirements.

If you would like any further information, please contact Nancy Lester, Director of Operations at UKCRN on n.lester@ukcrn.org.uk or your local Lead at the email addresses listed above.

Alternatively, please contact the UKCRN Coordinating Centre at info@ukcrn.org.uk for more details.