New regional partnerships aim to support clinicians at key career stages, boosting research capacity and improving patient care across the NHS.
A major new £9.7 million investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC) will support clinical research careers across the UK through the creation of 10 Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers (RACR), bringing together more than 50 research organisations and over 60 NHS organisations across all four nations.
The initiative is designed to help clinicians stay engaged in research alongside their clinical duties, particularly at key “pinch points” in their careers where many struggle to continue in research due to time pressures, limited funding, and lack of mentorship.
Working in partnership with universities, NHS trusts and other research organisations, the RACR programme will provide tailored local support for around 200 clinicians. This may include protected research time, bridge funding, mentoring, skills development, access to research facilities and networks, and support for clinicians returning to research after time away.
The MRC says the regional approach will allow solutions to be shaped by local needs and health priorities, strengthening collaboration between academia and the NHS while helping address inequalities in research opportunity across the UK.
The pilot is also intended to build a stronger, more sustainable clinical research workforce, which the MRC says is essential for driving innovation, improving patient outcomes and ensuring the NHS remains an evidence-led health system.
Over its four-year duration, the programme will also generate evidence on how best to support clinicians in research careers, informing future national approaches to clinical research workforce development.
Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the MRC, said:
“Clinicians play a vital role in turning discovery research into better treatments for patients, but too many face barriers to sustaining research alongside demanding clinical roles. These challenges vary across the UK, which is why a regional approach is so important…”
Dr Joanna Robinson, MRC Director of Research Talent, Skills and Careers, said:
“Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers are part of a wider approach to strengthening clinical research careers in the UK… helping clinicians better understand and navigate the opportunities available to them across major UK funders.”
The funding was announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in their 19 May news article: New MRC investment supports clinical research careers in the UK – UKRI
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