Following a successful first year and to support all teams with increasing participation in research, Noclor NHS Research Office will be running a second cohort of the Research Ambassador Program.
A Research Ambassador will be a member of staff who is passionate about advocating research to improve outcomes for our service users. They will be visible in clinical areas and act as a role model for those interested in engaging with research, supporting uptake of clinical research, and to signpost staff, students and service-users to research advice or resources as appropriate.
Who is the program aimed at?
This program is aimed at staff who are newer to research, across a range of roles. The previous cohort included Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, PWPs and a range of other AHPs. The course will give you good working knowledge of how research happens in the NHS, as well as ways to create a culture of research in your service and get involved in NIHR research happening across the Trust.
To be eligible, you need to be employed by either CNWL, West London or NLFT for the duration of the program. There will be a maximum of 20 spaces per Trust.
What are the time commitments?
Each Research Ambassador will take on the role for a year and will attend four CPD sessions. Session one will cover an introduction to Research in the NHS and how to have conversations about research as part of your clinical practice.
Sessions 2 & 3 will be designed around the needs of the cohort, depending on feedback from the first session. The previous cohort included sessions on Research In Practice (how to implement findings from journals into your practice), Equality & Diversity in Research, and Public & Patient Involvement.
The final session will cover next steps for getting more involved in research, from Principal Investigator roles to completing your own research or applying for fellowships.
- Research in the NHS: Thursday 26th of Feburary 2026, 9am – 1pm
- Session 2: TBC: Thursday 30th of April 2026, 1.30pm – 3.30pm
- Session 3: TBC: Thursday 3rd of September 2026, 1.30pm – 3.30pm
- Research & Your Career: Thursday 10th of December 2026, 2pm – 4pm,
All sessions will be delivered face to face at St Pancras Hospital, near Kings Cross and Euston stations. Participants who cannot attend all four sessions will not be able to complete the program, so it is essential that you are available for the advertised dates.
The day-to-day time commitments of the role are likely to be minimal, as they will already fit into clinical duties (such as attending MDTs or referring service users to research studies). This role is about upskilling & developing knowledge of research in clinical staff so that they feel comfortable discussing research within their role and acting as the liaison between the Research Delivery Team & their team.
Why should services support the Research Ambassador Program?
Health and Social care research is important in developing new diagnoses and treatments, as well improving outcomes for our service users. Additionally, research active teams see improved morale and reduced turnover, as well as meeting the CQC requirement to be research active.
This is also a fantastic opportunity for those who are considering a career in research to understand more about how research works in the NHS and can be embedded into their team’s practice. Research Ambassadors will receive training and certificates from Noclor which can be used to demonstrate their CPD hours as part of revalidation or continuous professional development.
What will you get out of the Program?
Research Ambassadors will each get a “Research Ambassador 2025” pin, a certificate on completion, 10+ hours of research training and a network of research-active colleagues across the Trust.
Here’s what a previous Research Ambassador had to say about the programme:
“Being part of the Research Ambassador Programme has been an extremely valuable and rewarding experience. I have really appreciated the opportunity to connect with other professionals who share a genuine interest and commitment to research, and it has been inspiring to learn from their perspectives. The programme has encouraged me to actively promote research within my own team, making it a key focus of our clinical practice and discussions.
I now feel more confident in highlighting the importance of evidence-based approaches and in encouraging colleagues to think about how research can shape and enhance the care we provide. I am proud to be part of this initiative and delighted to represent research as a Research Ambassador in 2025. This role has strengthened my professional development, broadened my network, and given me a strong sense of purpose in contributing to a culture of curiousity, learning, and innovation within services.”
How do I apply?
Please get in touch with cnwl.researchambassadors@nhs.net for further details if you are interested.