Clinical Research Practitioners

The skills and knowledge of Clinical Research Practitioners (CRPs) play an important role in the delivery of research across all health and care settings in the UK, these roles include but are not limited to: Clinical Studies Officer, Research Practitioner, Clinical Trials Practitioner, Clinical Trials Officer, among others. The focus on the conduct of high quality, ethical and efficient research delivery, and contribution to the process of scientific discovery, provides CRPs with a natural home within the Healthcare Science workforce.

The Academy launched the CRP Directory in 2018 to provide a platform for the development of the CRP community. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) gave approval for the Academy to open a new part of their voluntary Accredited Register to CRPs in 2020. Registration is a serious commitment to upholding standards and to patient safety. Eligible CRPs have been able to apply to join the Register since March 2021.

The Directory and Register is part of a national strategy led by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to enable the growth and professional development of CRP roles as a key part of the research delivery workforce.