Shortlist revealed for Greater Manchester Health and Care Research Awards 2023

The finalists for the Greater Manchester Health and Care Research Awards 2023, sponsored by Parexel, have been announced.

A large number of high-quality nominations were received, with submissions coming from across Greater Manchester, East Cheshire and East Lancashire.

Finalists in each of the 11 award categories have now been selected and the winners will be revealed during a ceremony at The Etihad Stadium, Manchester, on the evening of Thursday 5 October 2023.

The event will be a celebration of the finalists, and the regional research community, who have delivered, or enabled the delivery of, NIHR CRN Portfolio research studies during the year 2022/23.

The ceremony marks 10 years since the awards, organised by CRN Greater Manchester, first started. This landmark year also marks the 75th anniversary of the NHS being founded.

Sarah Fallon, Chief Operating Officer for NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester, said: “Our judges were highly impressed by the quality of nominations and it was an extremely difficult task to separate the submissions and select this year’s finalists.

“The shortlist features an impressive array of teams, individuals and projects which have made a real difference to the delivery of research across health and care settings in our region over the past year.

“We’re extremely grateful to everyone who took the time and effort to recognise a colleague or team with a nomination and we would like to congratulate all of our finalists on being shortlisted in this special tenth anniversary year of our awards.”

Thank you to our sponsors

This year’s awards are in association with our headline sponsor Parexel, one of the world’s largest clinical research organisations (CROs), which provides a full range of Phase I to IV clinical development services to help lifesaving treatments reach patients faster. Parexel is also the sponsor of the Inclusive Involvement Excellence award.

We are also extremely grateful to Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU), one of the UK’s leading CROs and research facilities and sponsor of the Outstanding Achievement by a Team award.

The finalists

Putting Participants First

Jacqueline Mellody - The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
FIND-IT study team - Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Sharon Barber - Salford Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Research Team - Bury Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

Collaborative Working Accomplishment

HARMONIE Respiratory Syncytial Virus study - Greater Manchester-wide collaboration
Early Career Researcher Development Pathway team - NHS R&D North West
Dr Sam Hey - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
REDUCe 2 trial collaborative - Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Improving care for people who have self-harmed - NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration, National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Services, Manchester Self-harm Project

Outstanding Achievement by a Team (sponsored by Medicines Evaluation Unit)

Haematology Research Team - The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Research and Development Team - North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder study team - Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Neonatal Unit Research Team - Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Pilar Rivera-Ortega and team - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Exceptional Research Delivery Leadership

Wiesia Woodyatt - Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Natalie Keenan - East Cheshire NHS Trust
Bev Hammond - East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Grainne O’Connor - Oldham Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Anthony Short - Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Inclusive Involvement Excellence (Sponsored by Parexel)

Stephanie Shoop-Worrall - The University of Manchester
Helen Spickett and Patient Research Advisory Group - Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Hanifa Khatun and Amna Asif - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Jess Zadik - Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

Primary Care or Community Research Contribution

St Johns Medical Centre - Based in Altrincham
Community Dental Network - Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Ruth Haas Eckersley - Rochdale Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Claire Brierley - Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

Best Contribution to Research Delivery outside of the NHS

Lumi-Nova: Tales of Courage study team - Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Rochdale Borough Council - Team working on study to support strategies for foster carers
Bolton Hospice - Team working on study looking at clinically-assisted hydration
Ready for Research children’s story book - Alex Winstanley and Clinical Research Network

Best Public Engagement

Greater Manchester Regional Engagement Network Development (REND) team - Caribbean and African Health Network, Vocal, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester
Introducing the Greater Manchester Research Van to the community - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Vocal, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Tameside Health Research Festival - Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Brain Health Day Team - Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, the University of Manchester and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
ID LIVER Research Team and Vocal - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Transforming Research Delivery

MSK / Rheumatology Research Team - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Radiotherapy Clinical Trials Radiographer Team - The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Acute Research Delivery Team - Salford Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Critical Care Research Team - East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Virtual site tours - A Greater Manchester-wide initiative

New to Research Award

Katherine Rose - East Cheshire NHS Trust
Daisy Pegler - Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Hannah Wardman - Bowland Medical Practice, Wythenshawe
Dr Qasim Ahmed - East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Kieran Potts - North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Prioritising Wellbeing Award

Simon Kaye - Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Stephanie Shoop-Worrall - The University of Manchester
R&INBOW Craft Club - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Note of Thanks initiative - CRN Greater Manchester