The National Cancer Institute website provides a directory of research tools and services for cancer researchers. It contains useful information online on continuing education and useful bibliographic databases.

It also has a useful list of training and education resources for patients thinking about taking part in a cancer clinical trial, which includes information booklets, fact sheets and videotapes which can be ordered free of charge from The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service.

Clinical Trials Bookstore is a really useful website for perusing through clinical trial books and includes topics such as GCP, SOPs, An Introduction to Clinical Research and Study Methods and Design.

A web focussed data-base documenting a comprehensive list of nationally available research training, accessible to all. DART, is still in the early phases of development, feasibility studies have been completed by The NHS Workforce Capacity Development Team and ‘DART’, in theory, has been proven to be a worthy project to pursue. However no long term funding has been forthcoming. Management of the project may now be taken over by DoH R&D info. If the project does come to fruition it would be of great value to everyone working within the field of research and a valuable tool for the NCRN to be able to access.

HERO is a website database that covers all aspects of higher education opportunities and provides links to further education colleges offering higher education courses. It also documents useful information on forthcoming conferences and seminars and academic associations.

Pharmafocus is an online journal published monthly, it contains current political and policy updates as well as appointments and jobs. It also advertises via a ‘Notice Board’, seminars, conferences and study days.

The RCN R&D Coordinating Centre has an excellent website which documents not only training and education opportunities for nurses involved in the field of research but also identifies and lists research networks (UK wide), interestingly there is a ‘Childhood Cancer Research Nurses Group (CCRNG) but no specific adult oncology clinical research nurses national network. It provides information on
R&D policy and strategy i.e. has links to DoH website to access The Cancer Plan, on ethics committees and their governance, on nursing research currently in progress, it also discusses practice development and dissemination of research findings and the utilisation of research. It also advertises opportunities to apply for research funding for nursing generated research.

The website also includes a comprehensive list of electronic discussion groups, Including the Cancer Nursing Alliance, Nursing Policy and Research Priorities in Nursing.

The RCN R&D CC, headed by Dave O’Carroll, also produces a weekly email of research up dates, vacancies in clinical research, calls for research proposals, news about research networks, research policy and research training/courses and annual conferences.

For clinical research staff who are looking for specific courses to attend UCAS allows both searches by course and institution.