NSFT research project wins top award | News and events

A project led by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust which gives student nurses more opportunities to be involved in research has scooped a top regional award.

Members of the trust’s research team were presented with the Innovation and Improvement Award by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) East of England on Wednesday (12 July).

The award recognises the work NSFT is doing with local universities to link nursing students looking for subjects to study and write about for their dissertations with clinical areas which could benefit from research. The team meet with students every month to provide support as they develop their projects while also teaching them about ethics, the NIHR and how to embed research into their future clinical care.

As a result of the project, student mental health nurses are completing a variety of successful research projects. These include evaluating patient and public involvement in mental health research, as well as evaluating the experiences of people who have been forced to migrate when accessing mental healthcare. They have also reviewed the use of technology in the home to help people with a diagnosis of dementia.

Louise McCarthy, Senior Nursing Research Lead with NSFT, said: “We are really pleased that this important project has been recognised. It gives students opportunities to take part in meaningful research while also benefiting our patients.

“The nurses who have taken part so far tell us they feel much more positive about research as a result, and would be happy to be involved in supporting CRN research once they qualify.

“At the same time, we are also delivering education sessions to nursing colleagues already working at the Trust, many of whom have now signed up to take part in research groups, are referring patients into existing studies or are starting to develop their own projects.

“Research is vitally important as it helps us to develop new treatments and further improve healthcare. Involving as many NHS staff as possible is therefore key and we are delighted that NSFT is playing its part in driving this important agenda.”