Clinical Research Practitioner (CRP) apprenticeship

A Clinical Research Practitioner (CRP) is an umbrella title for different roles in research delivery that are involved with patients but are not currently registered as a healthcare professional.

Common job titles for CRPs can include:

  • clinical studies officer.
  • research practitioner.
  • clinical trials practitioner.
  • clinical trials officer.

The post holder will often have a degree, although not always. 

CRPs are crucial to delivering the clinical research that is transforming treatment and care in the NHS and social care. 

They bring a wealth of research knowledge and expertise to the delivery of safe, ethical and high quality clinical research. Around a quarter of the workforce funded by the NIHR RDN are working in CRP roles, and their enthusiasm and expertise is essential to the future of clinical research.

Watch the video below to see the day-to-day duties of a CRP.

CRP video transcript

There is no spoken words for this video, however there is overlay text that explains what the user is seeing on-screen. During this video, you see:

The role of the CRP.

Research at Basildon.

Research at Broomfield.

Research in the CTC.

Research at St Andrews Centre.

Research in the hospice.

Research at GP Practices.

The Team!

Basildon CRP Team.

Broomfield CRP Team.

Primary Care CRP Team.

Day to day tasks.

Screening patients and clinic lists.

Calling patients about the research studies.

Making up study packs.

Recruiting patients on the ward.

Recruiting patients at outpatient clinics and the MRI scanner.

Informed consent process.

Data collection.

Uploading data to electronic case report form.

Looking at drug and fluid charts.

Data collection on the iPad.

Telephone follow-ups.

Taking research prescriptions to pharmacy.

Checking study IMP in RESUS.

Checking the crash trolley at the research centre.

Site file maintenance.

Attending site initiation visits for new studies.

Engagement work.

Competencies.

CRP register.

Clinical skills.

ECG.

Basic observations.

Urine analysis.

Basic life support.

Spirometry test.

MOCA.

Venepuncture.

Dropping bloods off at pathology and posting bloods to trial centre.

Lab skills.

Spinning bloods, using a centrifuge in the lab.

Aliquoting the blood sample.

Events.

Presenting to the panel at the nursing times awards.

Engagement leads conference.

Presenting at the research forum.

Red4Research.

EOE CRP conference.

MSE team health away day.

Thank you.

The CRP directory

The CRP directory is an exciting venture that aims to promote a strong professional identity for CRPs and provide assurance for patients.

The directory is a collaboration between the NIHR and the Academy for Healthcare Science. It provides a space for consultation and submission of an application for those seeking accredited registration as CRPs.

To find out more, visit https://www.ahcs.ac.uk/directories. 

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The CRP accredited register

The CRP accredited register is now available for CRPs to join. By joining, CRPs can demonstrate to patients, colleagues and employers that they are competent, trustworthy and committed to achieving high standards of personal behaviour and technical competence.

Professional standards authority accredited registers set standards for practitioners working in unregulated health and care occupations. A successful application to an accredited register demonstrates that practitioners meet a defined set of standards and work within an agreed scope of practice. Being part of an accredited register also provides the means to act should there be concerns about a registrant’s fitness to practice. The accredited registers programme is supported by NHS Employers.

You can find out more about the NIHR Directory and Register by visiting https://nihr.ahcs.ac.uk. 

You will be able to find out whether you are eligible to apply and to preview the documents that you will need to complete.

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Meet our CRP engagement leads

Our CRP engagement leads act as a visible advocate promoting the benefits of uptake of professional registration for CRPs. 

They lead liaison with CRP colleagues, their managers and teams and work to build the foundation necessary to ensure that CRPs’ vital skills and knowledge are recognised and rewarded. They work closely with the national engagement manager for registration, based within the RDN coordinating centre, and with our local workforce development lead to ensure that regionally focused approaches align with overarching NIHR strategy for growth and development of CRPs.  

Contact your local CRP engagement leads:

Stacey Cotterell — stacey.cotterell@nhs.net. 

Nikolett Hunyadvari — nikolett.hunyadvari@nhs.net. 

Sandeep Virdee — sandeep.virdee1@nhs.net. 

Lauren Sach — lauren.sach@nhs.net. 

Sophie Harris — sophie.harris56@nhs.net. 

Clinical Research Practitioner (CRP) advocates are volunteers who work with their RDN and the CRP engagement leads to ensure partner organisations understand that CRPs are crucial to delivering clinical research.

They also raise awareness of the wealth of research knowledge and expertise CRPs bring to research delivery teams, working alongside nurses and others to deliver safe, ethical and high-quality clinical research care.

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