Forming links with the AHPRN:Increasing visibility, viability,

capacity, capability and collaborationProfessor Ann MooreDirector of AHPRNResearch Lead CSPDirector of the Clinical Research Centre for Health Professions, University of Brighton

Allied Health Professions Research Network (AHPRN)

Supporting research and evidence-based practiceGrowing research capacity and capability

Cognitive ChallengesThe Researcher’s Unknown Territory

!!! ???Which approaches?

Which methods?

What evidence is there?

Which outcomes?

Which population?

Who to collaborate with?

How to disseminate findings?How to prepare?

What is my philosophical position?

What impact?

Funding?

2004: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy issued a call for an individual to act as ‘research champion’ for the profession

A university consortium of professors responded with an alternative ‘network’ suggestion

2005: CSP approves the network proposal and agrees to fund for a 5 year period

June 2005: the NPRN was officially launched

History of AHPRN:Development of the National Physiotherapy

Research Network (NPRN)

A call was put out for volunteers to apply to form NPRN research support hubs (Regional).

A network of 17 research hubs was formed across the UK .

The network increased to 20 hubs by the end of 2006, representing all major regions.

Work has been ongoing since to further develop & strengthen the now 21 Research Hubs. Two more under consideration for development.

History of AHPRN: Development of NPRN (cont…)

Between 2009 and 2011 discussions took place. Hubs were already involving a range of AHPs. CSP fully on side and continues to largely fund AHPRN. AHP professional bodies approached to formally sign up

BDA,BIOS,COP,COT,SOCP,SOR,SLT and CSP all formally involved, and pay an annual subscription.

Other professions interested for the future. AHPRN officially launched June 2012

History of AHPRN:AHPRN development

Professor Ann Moore, Director of AHPRN, Ms Natalie Beswetherick, Director of Practice and

Development Function, CSP, Professor Kate Springett, Chair RFAHP, Professor Di Newham, Senior Researcher, Professor Maria Stokes, Senior Researcher , Dr Elizabeth White, Senior Researcher and Chair

AHPRN, Laura Bottomley, Research Support Officer.

Core Executive Group who are we?

AHPRN

Nurturing and supporting:

Research Evidence-based Practice Researchers at all levels

AHPRN ethos

We should support and nurture all those AHPs interested in research

The Researcher

Excitement

Unknown Territory

Highs & Lows

Greater Awareness

Journey

Intellectual Challenge

OpportunitiesProfile

Confidence

Beliefs

Attitudes

Values

Each of the 21 hubs are facilitated and led by one or more senior researchers ( Mainly post-doc).

Each has different sets of skills and research expertise, and a different approach to running the hub.

Total number of facilitators >127 and growing Laura Bottomley in contact with hubs and with the

Core Executive 3 meetings per year of Core Executive and Hub

Leaders

How does AHPRN work?

1 Cheshire and Merseyside Dr Fiona Rowe rowef@liverpool.ac.uk

2 Cumbria and Lancashire Dr Hazel Roddam hroddam@uclan.ac.uk

3 East Anglia Ms Kath Mares k.mares@uea.ac.uk

4 Greater Manchester Dr Abebaw Yohannes a.yohannes@mmu.ac.uk

5 Hertfordshire Dr Julia Williams j.williams@herts.ac.uk

6 Keele Dr Sue Hunter s.m.hunter@shar.keele.ac.uk

7 Kent and Medway Dr David Stephensen david.stephensen@ekht.nhs.uk

8 London Dr Caroline Alexander caroline.alexander@imperial.ac.uk

9 Midlands Mr Peter Heine p.heine@warwick.ac.uk

10 Northern Ireland Dr Dianne Liddle sd.liddle@ulster.ac.uk

11 North East England Dr John Dixon john.dixon@tees.ac.uk

12 North of Scotland Dr Sue Barnard s.barnard@rgu.ac.uk

13 North Wales Coming soon! Coming soon!

14 Sheffi eld Mr Stephen May s.may@shu.ac.uk

15 Southern Central Dr Anne Bruton ab7@soton.ac.uk

16 South, Mid and West Wales Dr Valerie Sparkes sparkesv@cardiff.ac.uk

17 South East Scotland Dr Judith Lane jlane@qmu.ac.uk

18 South West England Dr Shea Palmer shea.palmer@uwe.ac.uk

19 Surrey and Sussex Dr Nikki Petty n.j.petty@brighton.ac.uk

20 West of Scotland Dr Sebastien Chastin sebastien.chastin@gcu.ac.uk

21 Yorkshire Dr Charikleia Sinani c.sinani@leedsmet.ac.uk

The Regional Hubs

Each hub operates in a different way in response to local needs and resource availability.

Examples of activities include conferences, seminars, speed dating events, lectures, networking events, one to one advice. (CPD certificates normally given).

Each hub also refers relevant enquiries from clinicians/academics to RDS ,PCRN and other local support groups as applicable.

Central funding is available to support hubs.

How do the hubs operate?

Increased confidence in and readiness for research, Increased awareness of new evidence, Formation of new Collaborations/networks, Sharing of research priorities, methods and

approaches, Development of new research questions, Increases in Grant applications, PhD Enrolments, Increased standing and visibility locally in the field.

Outcomes of hub activities

Changes in NHS structure, Lack of job stability, Research priorities, Reduction in student places, Increase in profiles and development of Clinical

Academic Careers, Clinical Academic Careers awards NMAHPs, LETBs were research funded.

AHP Research Context

The current Department of Health reform agenda:

Commissioning-led NHS and increasing need for data. Emphasis on patient choice and the patient experience. High expectations from patients about choice and their

involvement in health care (No Decision about me without me).

More diverse providers competing to innovate and improve services.

The pressures to do research

Multi-professional approaches far preferred Economic case to be integrated into research Research needs to address national and local priorities Productivity issues need to be taken into account Different models of care need to be explored Patient centeredness, self management and reablement The ageing population Public health and Social Care Mental health Long term conditions Preventing premature death ,recovery from ill health and injury.

UK NHS Agendas

AHPRN as an infra structure is in place and is well positioned to help increase research capacity, capability and to facilitate collaborations thereby improving the viability of research.

In addition AHPRN events are great places to increase the visibility of research locally and regionally.

SO WHY NOT ENGAGE WITH YOUR LOCAL AHPRN HUB?

Why am I speaking to you today ?!

We need to increase the visibility of our research and our professions active AHPRN hubs can do this locally and regionally.

Research Impact is high on everyone's agenda not only for REF. Discussions help to clarify .

Our research needs focus to build critical masses of evidence asap.

The need to influence managers in NHS to be on side with research activities.

More reasons why I am here!

Clinical Academic Careers are on the agenda. We need more applications for CAC fellowships. We need more applications to NIHR. We need to get managers and leaders on side with

research and Clinical Academic Careers. A Mentorship Scheme for CAC award holders is being

developed in England but similar processes could be very useful in other countries AHPRN hubs could help with this.

And some more!

PROJECT PARTNERS

The Academy of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Research has been established as a collaborative enterprise by the Royal College of Nursing, CPHVA – UNITE and the Royal College of Midwives, in partnership with The Council of Deans for Health, the Nurse Directors' group of the Association of UK University Hospitals, the Association for Leaders in Nursing, the Queen's Nursing Institute, the Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland, Mental Health Nurse Academics UK, the UK Clinical Research Facility Network and Nurses in Primary Care Research.

The University of Hertfordshire (UH) is recognised as a centre of excellence in the provision of health care education and has an international reputation for health research. The Centre for Research in Primary and Community Care (CRIPACC), established in 1996, leads multi-disciplinary research across nursing and the health professions and has been awarded significant NIHR funding. UH is an established leader in the use of blended learning through its innovative virtual learning environment (StudyNet) and has pioneered individually tailored coaching and mentoring programmes to enhance clinical and research leadership in health care.

Huddersfield has research strengths in the areas of History, Music, Social Work, Engineering and Chemistry – this was demonstrated by the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) results in these areas. The University recognises the importance of research alongside its teaching programme and has plans to continue to increase research activity across all its Schools. A wide range of flexible research degree options are available at the University.

The Allied Health Professions Research Network is a network of 21 regional research ‘hubs’ across UK and ROI. The hubs welcome students, new and experienced researchers, clinicians, managers, consultants and academics from all of the Allied Health Professions with the aim of increasing research capability and capacity within, and between, the professions. By providing opportunities for networking and for collaborative clinically-based research, the AHPRN enhances research outputs across the professions and facilitates translation of research findings into education and practice, contributing to the research credibility of the Allied Health Professions. Please see www.csp.org.uk/ahprn for further details.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London form the UK’s first Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC). This brings together the healthcare expertise of our five hospitals with the academic excellence of one of the world’s leading universities. We are also a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, one of only five such centers in England. We are committed to promoting a culture of research across our entire workforce and support mentoring as a way to enhance our staff’s professional development.

MENTORSHIPfor Health Research Training Fellows

SO... Why not...

Join your local Hub to network with other researchers, Help to nurture less experience researchers, Become a mentor, Present your research and increase its visibility, Engage in discussions re Impact of research at all

stages of research, Develop Collaborations.

And also its good to be among friends !!

Increase the visibility of AHPs, Provide fora for exchanges between clinicians

academics researchers and managers, Enable more rapid growth in focused research, Facilitate the healthy growth of workplace based

research cultures, Aid the local meaningful dissemination of research,

findings and the discussion of implications for practice

Strengthened AHPRN Hubs will

So, Researchers……Let’s work together, to succeed together!

Thank you.