A week in the life of Research and Development Officer...
Monday 13th January
Morning and welcome to my week, I’m Frances and I’m the Research & Development Officer for NHS Highland
The Research & Development Office for NHSH is based in the Centre for Health Science....Room S101..who would have thought!!
There are quite a lot of us in R&D...13 research nurses, 4 data managers, R&D Director, R&D Manager, R&D Facilitator and..
R&D Secretary, Primary Care Research Coordinator, Primary Care Trials Support Worker, Research Pharmacist, 2 senior pharmacy technicians..
and in the Highland Clinical Research Facility..a CRF Manager, Administrator and Speciality Research Doctor
All research & development / innovation activities in NHSH are managed through the R&D Department...over 1000 research projects alone!!
Met with a new inventor. Innovations in a number of clinical areas. Might include magnets. Will talk to my innovation consultants.
Meeting with R&D Accountant. Trying to balance the budget for next year. Never easy with so many staff to support and diverse income streams.
Visit by new study coordinator to set up the BICARB study. A NHS Tayside study for renal patients and using sodium bicarbonate therapy.
Off to the hospital to talk with Gig Simpson lead cancer research nurse about possible new cancer drug trials that might benefit patients.
Sent back a feasibility for a commercial study on oral contraception. Would be in primary care. Hope we get it.
Completing a list of product innovations R&D has received and supported over the last 5 years for HIE’s Head of Life Science.
Chief Scientist Office reports on R&D activity due in. Means a lot of work for the office to generate the data.
Doing generic reviews for studies on behalf of all Health Boards in Scotland. Two to get done this week.
Helping to cost funding applications for University of Stirling and University of the Highlands and Islands. Happens all the time.
New studies in and mountains of paper to shift. With over 1000 studies already and two + new a week this is our bread and butter.
Tuesday
Morning, Laura McIlhatton & Mhairi Robertson from R&D just gone over to Raigmore Outpatients with the SHARE information!!
SHARE is a Scottish Government support programme aimed at getting 1 million Scots to sign up to the Scottish Research Register
I'm over to the hospital this morning to talk to radiology about a possible new MS study...quite a complicated study
I need to follow up with some NHSH staff about the data capture for the Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness
Meeting of R&D staff today about the NHS Highland R&D Conference planned for later this year..will finalise details today!!
Got to go and see Employment Services about possible new staff, R&D is always growing!!
Wednesday
There’s a seminar this morning at New Craigs with the Scottish Dementia Clinical Research Network
The SDCRN people are coming to discuss with all interested NHSH people the possibility of more dementia research
Another Generic Review to do! I review research studies on behalf of all Scotland R&D offices to make sure they are compliant
All R&D Offices do Generic Reviews...we have a very fast system in Scotland for R&D approval times
Another student coming to see me about developing a study for their MSc....my door is always open!
Talking to the research nurses and data managers about getting their Patient Management System training...
Angus Watson the R&D Director is the Board Innovation Representative...watch this space
Thursday
Hi, busy day. Key focus this morning is to make sure I am fully prepared for teaching tomorrow - analysis for qualitative research.
Trying to extend one of the paediatric studies to recruit in NHSH - involving very pre term babies
Lots of filing this morning, my unfavourite job!
We got 15 people on the SHARE register on the signing in outpatients on Tuesday...well done to Laura and Mhairi!!
Seeing Professor Phil Wilson this afternoon...Director of Centre for Rural Health...some new projects to discuss
Have been asked to attend a meeting next week of a visit from the Institute of Remote Medicine
Next Monday start up meeting for a new cardiology study, Wednesday a new renal study, & the following week the MS evaluation visit..nurses & secretary busy!!
Craig the R&D Accountant over today...9 month expenditure return to the Chief Scientist Office...I LOVE finance
Just had another student in for help with MSc.....average two a week at the moment
Friday
Have just finished R&D training for Analysis for Qualitative Research...16 people having their brains bombarded by me for 3 hours...phew!
Lots of visits to NHS Grampian coming up...we are trying to finish an Operation Plan for research and development for the North Node
The North Node of NRS (NHS Research Scotland)...that is NHS Highland, Grampian, Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney
Why do we do research in the NHS? Basically for benefit to patients....in 2012 - 2013 NHS Highland recruited 676 Highland patients to studies
Studies recruited to include drug or device studies...cancer, diabetes, rheumatology, stroke, cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, & many others
As well as many other types of studies...observational, training, advice and education and so on
We are doing more and more studies and would love people to contact us to find out more, especially if they want to take part!!!
Remember if you’re interested in volunteering to take part in future health studies to check out SHARE @register4share
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