DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser visits Cumbria to explore research opportunities

Photo of attendees at Lucy Chappell visit to Cumbria

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (PCSM) welcomed Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to Carlisle on 23 January for a landmark visit focused on strengthening research capacity and innovation across the region.

Hosted at the Cumberland Infirmary, the visit brought together senior leaders, researchers, clinicians, academic and other partners to showcase the growing research ecosystem in Cumbria, one built on collaboration between NCIC, PCSM Research Hub (funded by NIHR Imperial BRC), the University of Cumbria’s Institute of Health and Cumberland Council.

The day opened with a welcome from Trudie Davies, Interim Chief Executive of NCIC, who outlined the Trust’s ambitions to expand high quality clinical research that improves care for local communities. Trudie was proud to be able to share the progress that has already been made by staff and recognised that this is a key step for the Trust’s long-term sustainability. She said: “It was a pleasure to meet Lucy and as ‘Team Cumbria’ we made a strong case. It is a recognised fact that organisations that participate in research have better outcomes for both staff and patients and therefore, attracting more research activity to NCIC will help us to not only deliver better care, but help us to attract people to come and work with us who want to develop a research and education programme.”

She was joined by Professor Graham Cooke, Vice Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London, who highlighted how Imperial’s collaboration with Cumbria can strengthen national research programmes and generate insights relevant to rural and coastal communities.

The visit provided an opportunity for PCSM to present its expanding contribution to the region’s research landscape.

Professor Mary Morrell, Head of School, highlighted PCSM’s rapidly developing medical education and research vision, rooted in partnership with NCIC and local communities.

This was followed by Professor Sophie Day, Co-Director of the PCSM Research Hub (PCSM-RH), who outlined the Hub’s mission to support emerging researchers, grow multidisciplinary collaboration, and enable Cumbria-based innovation to influence national health challenges.

Senior NCIC leaders Dr Adrian Clements (Executive Medical Director), Professor Gillian Findley (Chief Nurse), Kate North (Director of People and Culture) and Chris Rao (Consultant Surgeon and Director of Clinical Research) set out what the Trust hopes to achieve through its partnership with the PCSM Research Hub, including expanding NIHR Imperial BRC funded clinical research fellowships, supporting workforce development, and enhancing patient access to cutting edge studies.

The meeting continued with a presentation on the Institute of Health at the University of Cumbria by Professor Joy Duxbury, research presentations from PCSM-RH funded MRes and PhD students and project PIs, and a session with the Cumberland Council HDRC led by Dr Colin Cox, Director of Public Health.

Executive Medical Director and Deputy CEO Adrian Clements added: “Lucy is a key decision maker in the allocation of research funding, and I think she was very impressed by the scale of our ambition and the way we work so collaboratively with our partners – another key enabler for better outcomes for patients.

Professor Chappell sharing her reflections on what the NIHR is looking to support in Cumbria. She emphasised that the region’s unique geography, patient populations, integrated care structure and commitment to collaboration offer significant opportunities for impactful research.