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CRN Greater Manchester appoints new surgery specialty lead

NIHR CRN Greater Manchester (CRN GM) has appointed Miss Gemma Faulkner as specialty lead for surgery.

Gemma was appointed to the role following a competitive process and joins Greater Manchester’s Blue Domain of specialties led by Professor Nigel Bundred and CRN GM Assistant Research Delivery Manager (ARDM) Dayle Roberts.

Gemma is a Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. She was named Investigator of the Year at the 2018 Greater Manchester Clinical Research Awards.

Specialty leads develop clinical activity within a research specialty area. It is their role to encourage local clinicians to participate in CRN portfolio studies, building upon local clinical strengths and research interests and priorities.

They assist the CRN’s Research Delivery Manager with the delivery of studies in the specialty and the development of local infrastructure to support the local portfolio of studies.

Specialty Leads also engage with the CRN National Specialty Group and contribute to national strategies and initiatives.

Gemma said: "I am excited about working with the Greater Manchester sub-specialty leads to increase recruitment and to support new site set-up. I hope to keep up momentum by working with the research collaboratives and by promoting the Associate Principle Investigator scheme for  trainees and allied health professionals. 

"I particularly want to support and encourage colleagues who have not been involved with clinical research before."

Dayle Roberts, ARDM with CRN Greater Manchester, said: "It's great to have Gemma as our new surgery specialty lead for the CRN here in Greater Manchester. The experience and knowledge Gemma will bring to the role will be a real asset in meeting our overall aim of making research more accessible to our local population.

"Our GM surgery portfolio has performed admirably over the last couple of years, and has really strived to develop in to one of our leading specialties. I'm really looking forward to working with Gemma to continue to build and improve on the strong foundations we have in place."