WIREDGOV

A new £3 million scheme - the NRS Career Researcher Fellowship - will support the next generation of researchers in NHSScotland.

Running for three years from 2012, the scheme will allow clinical staff within the NHS to develop a research career by funding protected time for research activities.

In the first year around 25 awards will be made across Scotland at a total cost of £1 million. The scheme is intended to support those at early consultant level or equivalent and with limited research experience to date.

Successful applicants will be expected to contribute to ongoing clinical research and conduct and lead their own projects, either funded by a non-commercial or industry partner. The scheme will allow NHSScotland to build on excellence in areas where research already flourishes or to develop research in so-called 'orphan' areas of importance to the people of Scotland. In doing so it will contribute to increasing the number of patients involved in clinical research and bring economic benefit to Scotland in the form of research funding.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:

"I am delighted to be able to announce this targeted investment as the latest NRS initiative. It will improve the ability and capacity of NHSScotland to participate in high quality research relevant to the people of Scotland, which will contribute to making the Scottish people healthier and wealthier - two of the Scottish Government's strategic aims.

"Targeting the scheme at individuals at relatively early stages of their career will allow the benefits to be seen for many years to come within the NHS, and will help to encourage a culture within the NHS which recognises research as a vital and important part of healthcare."

The scheme will be introduced from April 2012.

NHS Research Scotland (NRS) is a partnership involving NHSScotland and the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government. Its aim is to ensure that NHSScotland provides the best environment for clinical research. NRS has, in recent years, greatly improved the performance of NHSScotland in relation to efficient approval of applications to conduct research.

In the first round the scheme will run as a local competition in each of four regional NRS nodes centred on Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow with the Chief Scientist Office overseeing the process at a national level.

Awards will be for a period of up to three years, subject to satisfactory annual review, for high quality individuals. Funding available is £1 million per annum for three years. Exceptional individuals who perform well in the initial years may have their funding extended to five years, subject to funding being made available.

The funding complements existing and planned investments in infrastructure across NHSScotland through NRS to support research, including efficient approvals and study start-up.

The aim of the scheme is to develop a new generation of NHS researchers and ensure Scotland maintains its excellent reputation as a place to carry out clinical research. It is expected that the successful applicants will be proposing high quality research either aligned to areas of existing research excellence and national priorities OR to develop capacity in an important 'orphan' area. The Fellows will, importantly, have time to participate in commercial research of value to NHSScotland and the wider economy.