Training

Training in Wessex

We are committed to supporting the ongoing professional development of health and care professionals and support staff across the Wessex region. Throughout the year, we offer a range of training opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills of those involved in research and its delivery.

Accessing training via NIHR Learn

NIHR Learn is the online platform we use to deliver our accredited learning programmes. Please take a look at our guide, Accessing NIHR Learn, or contact train.crnwessex@nihr.ac.uk if you have any questions.

Our programmes have been developed by international leaders from the clinical research field and are available to anyone directly employed by the NHS, UK universities and other publicly funded organisations conducting and supporting research. You can log in to NIHR Learn to view our full range of courses.

If you have a pre-approved email domain email address (e.g. @nhs.uk or @ac.uk), please access our training on NIHR Learn . A domain list is available on NIHR Learn Help.

For those working in public health or social care who do not have a pre-approved email domain, please get in touch  with details of your role in research using the email above and our team can arrange for access to NIHR Learn or discuss as appropriate.

Public Open Learn access

If you are a volunteer, a separate learning platform Open Learn has been designed to provide access to online training for COVID-19 studies and this platform is intended for public, industry or commercial access only.

General Assistance with NIHR Learn or Open Learn

For help creating or accessing your NIHR Learn or Open Learn accounts, please contact the CRN Coordinating Centre (CRNCC) service desk by emailing servicedesk@nihr.ac.uk. They can help with all account related queries. The CRNCC service desk is available Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm.

Training programmes available on NIHR Learn

Online Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training

At present, staff are encouraged to carry out their GCP training via the Introduction and Refresher courses available as e-learning on NIHR Learn. Sign into NIHR Learn and click on 'NIHR Learn: GCP and other Research Delivery Training' on the landing page. You’ll also find additional training for GCP IMP Management, which can be undertaken once your Introduction to GCP is complete.

Online Informed Consent training

There are a number of online Informed Consent training courses on NIHR Learn within the NIHR Learn: GCP and other Research Delivery Training section of the system. These include specific courses covering informed consent in Paediatric, Emergency, Adults Lacking Capacity, Urgent Public Health and COVID-19 Observational Studies.

Online Vaccine Trials training

This training may be required for your role in a vaccine research trial. If you already have these skills and have undertaken training in previous roles it may not be necessary for you to repeat the learning: please check with your research team.  More information can be found on NIHR Learn where all available dates are included for sign up.

CRN Face to Face or Virtual Training Programmes

Virtual Informed Consent training

Additionally to the online training, staff have the opportunity to attend a half-day virtual Valid Informed Consent training session which is hosted supra-regionally by CRN South West Peninsula, CRN Thames Valley & South Midlands, CRN Wessex and CRN West of England.

This training is held once a month and more information can be found on the CRN Wessex Local Learning page within Informed Consent Online Webinar where all available dates are included for sign up.

Face to face Next Steps in delivering Clinical Research

We are delighted to reintroduce this face-to-face two day further research training which takes place at the CRN Wessex offices. This course is designed for research practitioners who are new to research posts (i.e. more than six months) or as a refresher for all research practitioners and GCP must already be completed along with a formal application supported by your manager.

The course is run four times a year and more information can be found on the CRN Wessex Local Learning page within Next steps in delivering Clinical Research where all available dates are included for sign up.

Virtual Principal Investigator Bitesize training

Our webinar course has been developed to support staff who are interested in becoming a Principal Investigator (PIs) or those who have been working in the role of PI for six months or less and is a half-day course to introduce greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a PI.

More information can be found on the CRN Wessex Local Learning page within Principal Investigator Workshop - Bitesize where all available dates are included for sign up.

Face to face Principal Investigator Workshop training

This original face to face Principal Investigator workshop is hosted at the CRN Wessex office and provides a forum for fellow fledgling PIs from across the region to network and learn more about the roles and responsibilities of a PI.

It is intended for staff interested in becoming a PI or those who have been working in the role of PI for six months or less and is a full-day course to introduce greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a PI. More information can be found on the CRN Wessex Local Learning page within Principal Investigator Workshop where all available dates are included for sign up.

Research Learning Resources

Our newly launched Research Learning Resources site offers a guide to the Clinical Research Network. The site will equip new research staff working in the West of England, Wessex, South West Peninsula and Thames Valley and South Midlands Clinical Research Networks with all the information they need to start their role. For experienced researchers, it’s also a great place to refresh knowledge or learn something new.

On the site you will find useful resources such as ‘Introduction to the Clinical Research Network’ which provides an overview of the NIHR and the CRN, and ‘Introduction to Research’ which has key information for new staff starting a career in research.

Specialty specific training

We run an increasing programme of specialty specific training and development activities. For further details or to suggest potential speciality training, including partnering with CRN Wessex to develop training, please check the CRN Wessex section of NIHR Learn or contact Kirsty Rogers, Education and Training Manager, using the details below.

Dry Ice training

Dry Ice training is supplied via an external provider via an online learning platform. Applications for support to carry out this training needs to be authorised by your line manager and will need to be requested via train.crnwessex@nihr.ac.uk to be added to a database for when the next cohort of licences are secured.

Early career researchers

Early career researchers (ECRs) are recognised as future research leaders. To support the development of this key research workforce, we offer a range of bespoke training opportunities. Further details of development opportunities can be found by visiting NIHR Learn.

We are seeking to engage with ECRs from a broad range of professional roles and specialties across the region. If you would like to find out more about how the CRN are working to support ECRs, suggest ideas for training and development or be added to our mailing list to hear about news, training and events, please contact Kirsty Rogers, Education and Training Manager, using the details below.

Get in touch

For general training queries or ideas of where CRN Wessex can support your training to increase research delivery, please contact Kirsty Rogers, Education and Training Manager, on 01489 771118 or kirsty.rogers@nihr.ac.uk or train.crnwessex@nihr.ac.uk.