Training

Training and education in Kent, Surrey and Sussex

The Clinical Research Network ensures all staff involved in health research continue to be suitably qualified through experience, education and training. Our training can be accessed on NIHR Learn, our national learning platform.

NIHR Learn is the home of our free, accredited national learning programmes and is used by over 45,000 learners across the NHS and partner organisations every year.  You can access NIHR Learn if you are employed by the NIHR, NHS, a UK university or other UK publicly funded organisation conducting and supporting clinical research.  This includes public health, social care and other non-NHS organisations. 

New: Post Introduction to GCP Consolidation Course

This workshop is designed to consolidate the key learning from the Introduction to GCP e-learning. An interactive and engaging workshop, learners will complete activities and group discussions to build on their understanding of key components of GCP.

Facilitators will use real-life examples to illustrate key points and aid learning. There is a shared focus on CTIMP (drug studies) and non-CTIMPs, as well research in wider care settings and the community.

Method of workshop: CRN KSS are planning to run three face-to-face courses across the network whilst North West London is planning a number of virtual facilitator led dates.

Pre-requisites: Completion of online GCP e-learning in the past six months

Following discussions with our Partner Organisations we recommend the following researchers do the consolidation course 3-6 months after completing the GCP elearning course.

For Principal Investigators, supporting investigators, and those working within research governance, the virtual post GCP introduction consolidation session is recommended (See North West London).

For research delivery staff whose primary job is to oversee patients whilst on trials, the face to face post GCP introduction consolidation event is considered compulsory. We are in the process of organising dates.

At the moment the Refresher course remains a half day face-to-face course but there are plans to introduce a consolidation Refresher in the future.

NIHR Learn

You can access NIHR Learn if you are employed by the NIHR, NHS, a UK university or other UK publicly funded organisation conducting and supporting clinical research. This includes public health, social care and other non-NHS organisations.

You will need to have an account. When you set up your account you will see a message NIHR Learn is provided to support the UK Health and Care Research workforce. Accounts will be periodically checked for eligibility. Are you happy to proceed? If you need help with NIHR Learn visit our help page here. For further help with NIHR Learn please scroll down to the bottom of this page.

For elearning courses please log in to NIHR Learn. On the Home Page you will find a tool bar across the top. Click on section entitled ’Research Workforce Training' and you see a drop down list of the elearning courses. If you have problems deciding which course you need open the delegation of duties in research module.

To book onto face to face or facilitated courses run by CRN KSS or other Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs), click on the 'Regionally Delivered Learning'. Select the LCRN you wish to visit. We are CRN Kent Surrey and Sussex.

AcoRD and SoECAT training

KSS AcoRD and SoECAT courses will be delivered to our partner organisations by request only during the period of October to December 2024. If you are from one of our partners in Kent, Surrey and Sussex and wish to learn more about AcoRD or SoECAT, then please email us at - training.crnkentsurreysussex@nihr.ac.uk - with details of which topic you are interested in.

Introduction to AcoRD (delivered via Microsoft Teams)
Course: Attributing the costs of health and social care Research and Development (AcoRD) 
AcoRD stands for ‘Attributing the costs of health and social care Research and Development’, and is a framework for the NHS and other partners undertaking health related research to identify, attribute and recover the various costs associated with research in the NHS and social care.

Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Template (SoECAT) and Excess Treatment Costs (ETC) Training Session (delivered via Microsoft Teams)
SoECAT and Excess Treatment Costs Training Session
This session will introduce you to the Schedule of Events and Cost Attribution Tool or SoECAT as it is known.

Schedule of Event Cost Attribution Template (SoECAT) - Interpreting a SoECAT at your site (delivered via Microsoft Teams)
SoECAT - Interpreting a SoECAT at your site
This session is aimed at staff working at a research site and will introduce the Schedule of Events and Cost Attribution Tool (SoECAT), with a focus on how to interpret the form.

Facilitated Online courses - Informed Consent and PI Essential

CRN Kent, Surrey and Sussex is working with the London CRNs to offer both Informed Consent and PI Essential training.  As well as looking at the local CRN Kent, Surrey and Sussex area on NIHR Learn please also look under CRN North West London, CRN South London and CRN North Thames.

Bite sized online modules designed by other LCRNs

There are a number of bite sized online training modules, designed by other clinical research networks which we can enrol on, including:

Study feasibility
Data Entry & CRF completion
Site File Maintenance
The Safety Reporting Journey
Archiving A Research Study
Practical Laboratory Skills For Research Delivery Staff Laboratory

Courses on FutureLearn

Future Learn is a private company jointly owned by The Open University and The SEEK Group. They offer a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world.

Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research by University of Leeds/NIHR 
Introduction to Randomised Controlled Trials  by University of Birmingham
What is Health Research? by University of Leeds/NIHR
Digital Tools for Efficient Clinical Trials by NIHR and University of Southampton
Starting Out in Health and Social Care Research by Keele University and CRN West Midlands

 Help

An NIHR Learn Help site is available to help with common problems. .

Pre-approved email domain email addresses are automatically eligible for Learn Accounts - see NIHR Learn Help. If your email address is not pre-approved, please complete the application form, here.

Please note that if you are involved in NIHR clinical research you can have access to Learn. If you have issues please contact us at training.crnkentsurreysussex@nihr.ac.uk.

For general issues and information for CRN KSS face-to-face courses, issues with enrolling onto a local course (please note we can't set up an account on your behalf) and getting new courses onto NIHR Learn, please email the training email address. 

For help creating or accessing your account, contact the CRN Coordinating Centre Service Desk by emailing crn.servicedesk@nihr.ac.uk or calling 0207 333 5894. The Service Desk can help with all account related queries. The CRNCC Service Desk is open Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm (except bank holidays).

For help booking or accessing elearning courses (when logged in) contact the Workforce Development help desk at nihrlearnhelp@nihr.ac.uk. The help desk is available Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

For training of new facilitators (FDP), course material updates, or any specific clarification on training needs, please contact Training Coordinator Sylvia Westrup at sylvia.westrup@nihr.ac.uk.

 South East Mentor Directory 

CRN Kent, Surrey and Sussex, alongwith the CRNs in London (South London, North Thames and North West London) have created an online Mentor Directory. The aim of the directory is to connect mentors - people with research experience - with colleagues who are less experienced in research to help develop research skills and careers.

We are looking for members of our research community to volunteer to become mentors. If you are working in a research related role you will have knowledge and skills that will be of value to someone else. You do not need special training or formal development to be a mentor, all you need is the desire to help others and some time to do it.

The Directory is available to anyone involved in health and care research who is associated with the CRN in the south east and mentoring relationships can be formed from anywhere within this region.

How to join the directory as a mentor or to request a mentor

Join the South East Mentor Directory. 

• Registering is quick and easy, either as a mentor, or client (mentee) 
• Simply create a profile with your email address and include a brief background and summary of the topics you would either like some support in, or would like to support someone else.
• If you sign up to be a mentor, make sure that you are visible to potential clients by going into your profile and switching on this option.