RCP launches new e-learning research resources for members

Working in partnership with the British Pharmacological Society (BPS), the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) and the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), we have developed an e-learning programme for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aimed at facilitating the wider participation of healthcare professionals in research.

Co-produced with patients and carers, these modules aim to support clinical practitioners from across the professions forming multidisciplinary teams in a wide range of healthcare settings. With these modules and our wider work – RCP Research and innovation hub – we aim to help increase research participation opportunities for healthcare professionals and patients everywhere, but particularly in geographical areas, populations and organisational settings where opportunities are currently limited.

Last year, the RCP and NIHR published a joint position statement setting out a series of recommendations for making research part of everyday practice for all clinicians.

Professor Ramesh Arasaradnam, academic vice president of the Royal College of Physicians, said:

“The RCP believes every clinician working in the NHS should be supported to become research active so we are delighted that this free e-learning programme developed with the BPS, FPM and FPH for the NIHR is now live. It’s an excellent new initiative that aims to support any health professional that has an interest in clinical research. High-quality research in the NHS is everyone’s responsibility and we will continue to call for it to be a core part of clinical care. ‘Making research everybody’s business’, published by the RCP and NIHR late last year, highlights the importance of clinical research to tackling backlogs and reducing pressure on the NHS.”