Unique placement scheme gives new NHS research opportunities to AHPs, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals

To be given the time and resources to become fully immersed in a research project was really fantastic.

Catherine Taylor, Specialist Occupational Therapist

The support and opportunities provided have led to Catherine’s research – a systematic review into the relationship between sleep quality and quality of life in people with psychosis – being published in the journal Schizophrenia Research. This is Catherine’s first research publication.

Catherine said: “As a full-time clinical allied health professional (AHP), taking part in research commonly feels unrealistic and unfeasible, so to be given the time and resources to become fully immersed in a research project was really fantastic.

“Completing the placement enabled me to strengthen my skills across the 4 pillars of practice, as I previously had very limited research experience.

“I found the placement experience a joy – my academic supervisor was receptive and flexible, allowing me to work around my clinical and personal commitments and complete the workload within timeframes that were feasible for me.”

Through the NIHR BRC: Manchester’s Mental Health Theme, Catherine’s research investigated whether sleep problems are linked to quality of life in people experiencing psychosis.

Sleep difficulties are common in psychosis, but we do not yet fully understand their impact or whether improving sleep could lead to better outcomes for people.

The review brought together evidence from 18 studies involving more than 4,700 people.

Overall, people with psychosis who reported poorer sleep also tended to have a poorer quality of life. However, the evidence was not consistent enough to establish whether poor sleep directly contributes to poorer quality of life.

There were also important gaps in the research, particularly among younger people at risk of developing psychosis and people who develop psychosis later in life, who were largely absent from the existing evidence.

These findings identify sleep as a potentially important and modifiable factor that could be explored further in psychosis.

The authors say further research should investigate how sleep problems relate to quality of life across different age groups and stages of psychosis and whether targeting sleep difficulties can improve quality of life and other health outcomes.

It’s fantastic to see healthcare professionals develop their confidence and research skills while bringing their clinical experience into research, helping to ensure that research remains relevant to patients and services.

Dr Lee Mulligan, Research Fellow

The NIHR BRC: Manchester’s Healthcare Professional Placement Scheme offers a unique opportunity to explore clinical research through flexible, short-term placements of up to 12 weeks (or equivalent days).

The scheme provides opportunities for collaborative learning alongside highly skilled researchers, real-world NHS research experience, skill development and potential pathways to further engage in clinical research.

Employers receive backfill funding to support release from roles, ensuring seamless participation.

Following the success of the scheme at the NIHR BRC: Manchester, the model has also been rolled out across the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre: Emergency and Acute Care.

The scheme is currently closed for applications. Details of the next application round will be published on the Healthcare Professional Placement Scheme webpage when available.

*Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.