North Thames Associate PI Scheme Champion puts focus on people

The NIHR's Associate PI Scheme offers healthcare professionals the chance to develop their research career while at work.

People who would not normally have the opportunity to take part in clinical research in their day-to-day role have the chance to experience what it means to work on and deliver an NIHR portfolio trial under the mentorship of an enthusiastic Local Principal Investigator (PI). A Principal Investigator is an individual responsible for the conduct of a research study at a site.

Associate PI Champions are responsible for promoting the scheme to healthcare professionals. Here, Leena Islam, who has the role at CRN North Thames, explains her work promoting the scheme.

Name

Leena Islam.

Role

Portfolio Officer for Divisions 3 & 6 and CRN North Thames Regional Champion for the Associate PI scheme.

Could you briefly describe the Regional Associate PI Champion role and what it entails?

The role acts as a local contact and source of information for the scheme. It involves engaging with organisations in our patch and collaborating with the communications teams and Research Specialty Leads to get the message out.

How much time do you spend on the Associate PI Champion role each week?

For the first couple of months, I probably spent up to one day a week on it, to lay the groundwork, introduce my role at meetings and do research and training.
You have to dedicate that time at the start really. Now it’s more absorbed as part of my day-to-day role and ongoing, as and when needed.

Are there any specific skills or qualifications required for individuals interested in taking on the Regional Associate PI Champion Role?

There are no formal qualifications required, but strong communication skills and being comfortable with public speaking, so that you can go out to NHS trusts and talk about the scheme, would be good.

Also, being able to understand and interpret data is important for using the Associate PI dashboard and explaining the application forms, trainee checklists and alumni area on NIHR Learn.

Can you elaborate on the specific requirements associated with the Regional Associate PI Champion Role?

Having an expert knowledge of the scheme will be key to providing good support to different people, including other champions in the region. Also giving presentations is quite common and has directly influenced uptake to the scheme.

What is your main objective as the Associate PI Champion in the North Thames region?

I think, for me, working on this project as a pilot, I’ve wanted to reach NHS trusts and specialties where the scheme perhaps has not been as readily taken up previously. We want to use it as a way to increase the number of trainees, studies and champions in North Thames. Although it is one scheme, we want it to improve the overall research picture across our region and share best practice from the good work being done already in our area.

How does the Regional Champion Role contribute to the success and goals of Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs) and Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs)?

We’ve had almost 300 registrants to the scheme in North Thames alone. All of these are potential PIs who may be part of our research workforce in the future, and who will stay involved with their R&D and delivery teams.

Having Associate PIs has really helped with increasing recruitment, as research has shown, because they’re an additional part of a study team that supports to actively consent patients.

We’ve also had commercial companies say that they are really interested in having Associate PIs work on their research, as another example.

Could you provide examples or scenarios that illustrate the practical aspects of the Regional Champion Role?

Once a month, I check the dashboard for any new trainees, and email them to offer support. This has been really good, because I’ve been able to help problem-solve when issues arise. I also disseminate updates, such as the NIHR Research Learning Lectures.

I regularly work with the Trusts to promote their studies which could benefit from an Associate PI and have been invited to give talks on the scheme at their events or with their teams.

What resources or support mechanisms are available to individuals undertaking the Regional Champion Role?

The national Associate PI team has been fantastic for me - they’ve addressed loads of problems, shared a lot of knowledge and been very supportive at the national Champions meetings. I took inspiration from that and recently hosted a regional Champions meeting, which went really well.

The Associate PI scheme resources website has also been very useful training for me, with all its dedicated toolkits and guidance.

Can you share success stories or examples where the Regional Champion Role has been beneficial, either on a personal or institutional level?

The role has been an opportunity for me to develop my interpersonal and presentation skills.

Recently, I gave a presentation about the scheme to one NHS trust who fed back to our leadership that I had really good knowledge, which was a great boost for my confidence.

Since I’ve started in the role, we’ve got three new trust-based champions - at Barts Health, Royal Free and Whittington Health. Also Essex Partnership had no engagement before, but now have two Associate PIs. Another trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, wants to include registration to the scheme as part of their sponsorship review.

All of these outcomes feel like really good progress.

What strategies or approaches prove effective in fulfilling the responsibilities of the Regional Champion Role?

Overall the role takes a proactive and educational approach. I’ve utilised relationships that already exist in North Thames - divisional teams and R&D leads have really helped to spread the word.

I’ve also had great help from our communications team in advertising the national educational event and doing a local case study.

I like to maintain contact with Associate PIs - both those who are on the scheme, so they don’t drop off the radar, and also those who have completed it. In research, there can be a lot of focus on data but I like to focus on the people!