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Education and Training | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The training and educational needs of a clinical research team specialising in oncology are typically complex due to the range and depth of specialist knowledge and skills required to perform the role to a competent professional level within the legal frameworks of the differing governing bodies. Due to the uniqueness of the roles within clinical research it is fairly rare to find personnel who have experience and/or training in the areas of both clinical research and oncology. The formation of the NCRN has increased the workforce supporting cancer clinical research significantly and because this valuable resource of qualified professionals was not readily available, there is a large training and education implication. The National Cancer Research Network (NCRN) has acknowledged training and education of the clinical research workforce, as a priority. In the past access to training has been difficult, often working in isolation, staff learnt on the job. The term ‘thrown in at the deep end’ often applied to the newly appointed Research Nurse or Data Manager, it was a question of, sink or just don’t worry too much about the data entry! Education in clinical research has been ad-hoc, fragmented and costly, with little in the way of allocated resources, it was often left to pharmaceutical industry patronage to impart the basics of ‘Good Clinical Practice’.
The NCRN is now a reality, and its aim is to deliver ‘a highly trained, professional clinical research workforce’ by developing a coordinated, integrated and innovative programme of training and education accessible to all. The strategy includes a Training and Education Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), promoting a systematic approach to training and education in clinical research incorporating and building upon local initiatives. This is being implemented within each Cancer Research Network by a nominated Network Training Link (NTL). A central training coordinating team organise national training programmes, symposia and NCRN updates. Sharing of best practice is encouraged within and across the networks. Personal development planning and lifelong long learning are being adopted into research culture. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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