蓝莓视频

The 2024 North West London Research Symposium took place earlier this month at the聽Royal Geographical Society. It is aimed at nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists, pharmacy staff, psychologists and clinical research practitioners (NMAHPPs) who are engaged or interested in research.

Now in its tenth year, the symposium provides a unique opportunity for NMAHPP clinicians to meet, network and learn from the collective research experience of colleagues working across north-west London.

Co-chair聽Professor Mary Wells, Deputy Director of Nursing Research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Professor of Practice in Cancer Nursing at Imperial College London and a key member of the Imperial BRC, said:

鈥淩esearch is essential for improving patient care, experiences and outcomes. Nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists, pharmacy staff, psychologists and clinical research practitioners (NMAHPPs) have a vital role to play in contributing to research and ensuring the care we give to patients is rooted in the best evidence. However it鈥檚 not always easy to get time away from clinical work for research, and many staff perceive that a research career isn鈥檛 for them.

鈥淥ver the years we have worked hard to address some of these issues and support NMAHPPs who want to do research. Events like the North West London Research Symposium are a wonderful opportunity to showcase the diversity and quality of research carried out by NMAHPS across north-west London, as well as share knowledge and inspire others into research careers.

鈥淚t was heartening to see so many delegates engaging with the presentations, workshops and posters of research work. I hope many left inspired to pursue their research careers.鈥�

Research impact聽

More than 130 delegates had the opportunity to listen to research presentations from colleagues.

Dr Gemma Clunie, a BRC-supported Senior Clinical Academic for Speech and Language Therapists (SLT) at聽Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and an Honorary Research Fellow in the聽Department of Surgery and Cancer聽at Imperial College London, talked about her research on establishing a set of outcomes that should be measured and reported in all clinical trials investigating laryngotracheal stenosis 鈥� an abnormal narrowing of the airway that can affect voice and swallowing.

Calandra Feather, Research Postgraduate in the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London and Paediatric Nurse at聽Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, talked about her work as part of a team to develop a clinical decision support tool 鈥� Touchdose – that provides dosage guidance for drugs to increase patient safety in paediatrics.

Delegates also heard from聽Layla Bolton Saghdaoui, National Institute for Health and Care Research (蓝莓视频) Doctoral Clinical Academic Fellow, Research Postgraduate in the Department of Surgery and Cancer and Vascular Clinical Nurse Specialist at聽Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, on her research career journey so far.

Layla explained her passion for improving care through research, the opportunities it鈥檚 given her and some of the challenges she鈥檚 faced, including grant rejections and imposter syndrome. Layla hopes to return to the NHS in a clinical academic or nurse consultant role, following her PhD.

Prize winners聽

Delegates saw an exhibition of posters showcasing research studies and projects undertaken by NMAHPPs.鈥疶hese included a project on swallowing and nutritional outcomes in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and a study to address underrepresentation in stroke research.

Delegates voted for the best poster prize, which was awarded to Katie Webb, Clinical Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and a team of physiotherapists for their work to develop a more efficient way of managing non-complex pelvic floor conditions.

The inclusivity prize was awarded to Juliet Albert, Specialist Midwife for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), 蓝莓视频 Doctoral fellow and Honorary Clinical Research Fellow in the聽Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, for her work exploring specialist services for women with FGM 鈥� a procedure in which the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed when there鈥檚 no medical reason for doing so.

Looking back聽

The event鈥檚 keynote speaker was聽Professor Caroline Alexander, Lead Clinical Academic for Allied Health Professionals at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Professor of Practice (Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy) at Imperial College London and the Academic Career Lead for the Imperial BRC, who reflected on her clinical and research career over the last 37 years.

Professor Alexander talked about how opportunities provided by the 蓝莓视频 have allowed for a wider range of healthcare staff to pursue research careers, but more needs to be done to create job roles in the NHS that better utilise staff鈥檚 research expertise once they鈥檝e completed their studies. Professor Alexander will retire from her role at the end of the year. She said:

鈥淭hroughout my career, research has helped me care for my patients with musculoskeletal problems such as hypermobility more effectively. It has also allowed me to develop and advance my own career.

鈥淚鈥檝e had the privilege of supervising, mentoring and supporting NMAHPPs into clinical and clinical academic careers, and to see the work carried out by them and many others at the event was inspiring.

鈥淚t was also great to see fantastic research presentations and posters, motivational career journey talks and thought-provoking workshops. This can only help the NHS deliver on its goal to provide the highest standards of evidence-based healthcare.鈥�

The symposium programme also included workshops on ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion in research studies, communicating research for impact, grant application writing and use of placebo in clinical trials.

The event was organised by the鈥疌linical Academic Training Office鈥�(CATO), which delivers research training and education opportunities for clinical staff as part of the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC).