Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to encourage NHS Trusts to offer clinical staff the opportunity to work on research trials.

The Vision for the Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery (2021) sets out our commitment to create a research positive culture across the National Health Service and to a develop a sustainable and supported research workforce, offering rewarding opportunities and exciting careers for all healthcare and research staff of all professional backgrounds.

Funding provided through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) infrastructure sustains a critical mass of people who are actively involved in conducting and delivering research in the NHS and other health and care settings. This enables clinicians and other health professionals working in the NHS to undertake research, by funding posts or reimbursing NHS trusts for the time their staff are engaged in research. In addition, via the NIHR Clinical Research Network, the NIHR funds front-line research delivery staff who work throughout the NHS and other health and care research settings.

In August 2023, NIHR also announced £30 million additional funding to support health and care professionals (HCPs) to include research in their careers and help them develop as highly skilled researchers and research leaders. The additional funding will strengthen and expand existing opportunities and introduce new initiatives. This will include new NIHR Regional Research Leadership offices to promote and coordinate research opportunities for HCPs at a regional level.