Clinical Research Network: North West Coast appoints Deputy Chief Operating Officer
16th December, 2020
The Clinical Research Network: North West Coast is delighted to announce the appointment of Vicky Wilkinson to the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer with a commencement date of 1st March 2021.
Vicky will be bringing with her over 20 years of experience across the NHS and the UK life science sector. Her career started in vaccine development for a global pharmaceutical company and then moved into leading on a number of academic based biotech projects. Vicky then moved to health care research and in 2005 she started in a role that supported a research partnership of ten primary care trusts. Next came the opportunity to head up the North West’s NIHR Primary Care Research Network before moving to oversee other clinical specialties predominately based within secondary and tertiary care as part of one of the NIHR’s local Clinical Research Networks. Her most recent role has been as the Head of Research & Innovation at Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, a specialist cardiothoracic Trust and partner of the Clinical Research Network: North West Coast.
Dr Chris Smith Chief Operating Officer for the Network commented: “I am delighted that Vicky has been appointed as the network's Deputy Chief Operating Officer. Vicky's wealth of experience working in clinical research management will be a real asset for CRN NWC and our partnership. Having worked with Vicky for several years I know that her skills and capability will support our region to continue to build research capacity as part of our new three year strategy.”
We took the opportunity to ask Vicky about her ambition for research across our region.
What are your hopes and ambition for research in the North West Coast?
“I am excited to be part of the new leadership team for CRN NWC. There is some fantastic research work that happens in North West Coast and I would like to see the collaborations and partnership working continuing and for the North West Coast region to continue to excel at delivering research to a high standard. I would like to see more research developed and offered to target real areas of need within our region to address health inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of our population. I hope that more opportunities are created to allow our partners in community, schools and social care settings to become more involved with research supporting research across the life course.”
The Network looks forward to welcoming Vicky in 2021 and sharing her plans for research delivery in our region.
