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.com
Volume 8, Issue 2 (Suppl)
J Blood Disord Transfus
ISSN: 2155-9864 JBDT, an open access journal
Hematologists 2017
May 08-09, 2017
7
th
World Hematologists Congress
May 08-09, 2017 Barcelona, Spain
Eleana Loizou et al., J Blood Disord Transfus 2017, 8:2(Suppl)
http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9864-C1-023Increasing haematology research for patient benefit through the development of trainee leaders in research:
AUK initiative
Eleana Loizou, T Nicholson, T Dutt
and
C H Toh
The Royal Liverpool University Hospital, UK
T
he aim of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UK is to deliver best research for best health. In addition to funding
research, clinical research networks also help to deliver studies on time and on target. There is ample evidence that shows
involvement in research leads to improve patient outcomes but this opportunity is not always available, especially if haematology
consultants with limited academic experience find the process daunting. To tackle this, a national initiative has been launched
to develop regional trainee champions in research. This aims to address the inexperience by providing trainees with the relevant
exposure to research. The trainees, in their turn, will be helping the NIHR key objectives such as developing the research portfolio
further and increasing the number of participants recruited into studies. The aim is to recruit one registrar from each of the 15
regions in the UK to take up position of ‘NIHR specialty trainee lead for haematology research’. Trainees attend several meetings with
members of the NIHR who have helped them develop an understanding of how things work, and relevant courses to develop into this
role such as leadership and management courses. They can also deputise for their regional seniors at National haematology clinical
research network meetings. With these new skills on board, the haematology trainee learns to set up clinical trials in their local
hospital, acquire understanding of barriers to research and how to overcome them as well as develop engagement skills with industry
sponsors and service managers. They are recruiting patients into haematology clinical trials currently but the role will expand in
the future with the aim of to provide local education about clinical trials, contribute towards national audits and assist in setting up
centers locally for national clinical audits. The role will be locally responsive within a national framework and mentoring together
with peer-supported networking will be available to grow this cadre of future leaders in research delivery within the UK. This new
role for haematology trainees will provide early exposure to clinical trials and the basic skills in research on which trainees can build
upon. This will provide confidence for them as new consultants to not be afraid of taking on new clinical trials and expand on ideas
they may have themselves, building research/trials portfolios and as a consequence help develop haematology through good trials
and research. The early success of this initiative could extend to other specialties to expand patient involvement in research and also
provide a model for other countries to develop haematology research.
Biography
Eleana Loizou is a Hematology Trainee in the Mersey Deanery in England. She has recently completed the FRCpath Hematology Examination and she is now a
member of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK as well as the Royal College of Physicians. She always had an interest in research right from the beginning of
medical school and she has taken every such opportunity provided along the way. She is now the first Hematology Trainee in the Mersey Deanery to be involved
in the NIHR’s specialty trainee lead for Hematology research.
eleana.loizou@gmail.com