NIHR CRN: North Thames
Sub-Speciality Clinical
Leads
Parkinson Disease, Motor
Neurone Disease, Huntington
Disease, Epilepsy, Multiple
Sclerosis, Brain Infections
Job Description
Date: January 15
Overview
The National Institute Health Research (NIHR) North Thames Clinical Research Network (CRN), seeks
to appoint local leaders in the fields of Parkinson’s disease, Motor Neurone disease and Huntington’s
disease to the roles of Sub specialty clinical leaders. The appointments are for 12 months in the first
instance.
This role offers the successful applicant the opportunity to support the development and implementation
of new ways of working to integrate patient care and clinical research in the local NHS. We are seeking
leaders of the highest calibre to help us deliver significant and lasting impact on the development and
delivery of clinical research in the NHS.
The NIHR North Thames Clinical Research Network
NIHR NT CRN is one of fifteen Clinical Research Networks funded by the National Institute for Health
Research in England. It is a managed network created to support the development and delivery of
randomised prospective trials and other well-designed studies in dementias, Parkinson’s disease, motor
neurone disease, Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. It is a network of
research collaborators – patients, carers, academics, clinicians and support staff – working together to
develop new high quality clinical research. It is a network of NHS partner trusts, the people that work
in them and the people that use their services; working together to ensure that clinical research is
delivered on time to target to the benefit of people affected by dementias and neurodegenerative
diseases.
The aims of NIHR North Thames CRN are:
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Ensure patients and healthcare professionals from all parts of the North Thames geography
are able to participate in and benefit from clinical research
Integrate health research and patient care
Improve the quality, speed and co-ordination of clinical research
Increase collaboration with industry partners and ensure that the NHS can meet the health
research needs of industry
Main Purpose of the Job
Sub speciality Leaders provide local clinical leadership to the network in their disease area. They are
responsible for working closely with the North Thames, Neurological Disorders Speciality Lead overseeing
the development and delivery of a balanced portfolio of studies and ensuring the needs of industry are met
in their disease area. They support the development of new ways of working and of the local workforce to
increase the integration of health research and patient care, and to improve the speed, quality and
integration of clinical research in trusts across the network. They encourage local clinicians to participate
in NIHR portfolio studies, and provide clinical research leadership in their disease area. Sub Speciality
leaders will work closely with the Neurological disorders speciality lead and assist with national Portfolio
meetings on a quarterly basis.
Key responsibilities of Sub-Speciality Clinical Leaders:
Active Divisional Management
1. Support the Neurological Speciality Lead to implement the local strategy and goals in relation to
their disease area in line with North Thames Clinical Research Network Annual Plan strategy,
and sets out the structures and organisational plan to achieve these goals, and oversee
implementation of this strategy. The strategy will undergo an annual performance review.
2. Support the development of new ways of working that will increase the integration of health
research and patient care, and improve the quality, speed and co-ordination of clinical research
in their specific disease area
3. Ensure that the service support requirements for the disease portfolio are fully understood and
that each trust in the network is receiving the appropriate service support for its participation in
portfolio studies, from the appropriate NIHR funding stream
Development and delivery of a balanced portfolio
1. Participate as a member of the Division 4 National Portfolio Management Group, representing
the requirements of the North Thames region on a quarterly basis and provide update to
Neurological Specialty lead.
2. Work closely with the Neurological Speciality Lead to provide clinical leadership to identify and
ensure high quality delivery of the portfolio of clinical trials and other well-designed studies from
the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio, to which NHS patients within North Thames CRN
will be recruited.
3. Work with and support NT CRN UCL Partner organisations in order to maximise their involvement
in NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio studies, so as to make available high-quality clinical
research to NHS patients in all sectors within the North Thames geography.
4. Keep abreast of local, national and international developments in clinical research studies and of
the inclusion of new studies in the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio and inform and
guide the NT CRN core team accordingly.
Meeting the needs of industry
1. Provide oversight to site selection and feasibility assessment of commercial studies, onto the
portfolio
2. Work with trusts to develop and implement strategies to increase their capacity to delivery
commercial research.
3. Support the Neurological Specialty lead to meet local speciality objectives as set out in NT
CRN Annual Plan.