Job Description for Severn NIHR ACF post
1. Job title: ACF in General Practice (2 posts 1 x Priority Research Theme: Platform Science and Bioinformatics; 1 x Primary Care Research and/or Education)
2. The duration of the posts 4 years
3. Hospitals in which training will take place: The 18 months hospital training will mainly take place in either University Hospitals Bristol or North Bristol NHS Trust. Some rotations may take place in Weston General Hospital or in a Community Mental Health trust.
4. Research institutions in which training will take place: Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC), Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol.
5. These 4 year ACF posts allow 25% time for academic activities most of which is taken in years 3 and 4
6. There are 2 posts available as detailed below; applicants will be asked within the application form to preference the 2 posts.
Description of research components of each programme:
Priority Research Theme: Platform Science and Bioinformatics
This is a 4 year integrated clinical academic programme. The first 2 years comprise 18 months in hospital posts and 6 months in a local practice during which trainees have an academic supervisor from the Centre as well as their clinical and educational supervisors. Trainees are encouraged to attend relevant academic meetings, courses and conferences during the first 2 years. The research component mainly takes place in years 3 and 4 when trainees spend half their time in CAPC. CAPC is part of the NIHR School for Primary Care Research, has a very high national and international profile in academic primary care and an excellent track record in developing academic GPs. The ACF will agree a research project after discussion with their supervisor and others as appropriate, probably in the general area of research around causal pathways to poorer outcomes in vulnerable children (children with complex additional needs, “looked after” children and children with learning disability) alongside evidence that these pathways can be modified through intervention. This area reflects both the research resources, strengths and focus of the host department and the key role of primary care in both safeguarding and intervention to reduce health inequality in children. There is a possibility to pursue alternative research questions in this broad Priority Research Theme. Research may involve novel research designs using routine health and social data linked to other data including data from the ALSPAC birth cohort. Research in this area is necessarily innovative given the well-recognised limitations of conventional designs to answer questions around health improvement in marginalised groups. It is also quintessentially interdisciplinary involving front line clinicians working with world-class methodologists in medical statistics, integrative epidemiology, evidence synthesis, social science, digital health and bioinformatics. In addition, ACFs develop research skills either by undertaking an MSc and/or courses available through the School of Clinical Academic Training at Severn Postgraduate Medical Education. ACFs will be able and encouraged to attend the highly regarded research methodology short courses run by the Bristol Medical School and the weekly term-time seminar series. Trainees have regular individual academic supervision and are part of a supportive peer group. Apart from a senior academic supervisor, the ACF will be allocated a mentor with whom they will have the opportunity meet regularly. The ultimate outcome is a successful PhD application.
For more information see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare/
Primary Care Research and/or Education
This is a 4 year integrated clinical academic programme. The first 2 years comprise 18 months in hospital posts and 6 months in a local practice during which trainees have an academic supervisor from CAPC as well as their clinical and educational supervisors. Trainees are encouraged to attend relevant academic meetings, courses and conferences and to identify methodological and subject areas of interest in the first two years. In years 3 and 4, the time is split flexibly 50/50 between CAPC and the training practice. Their academic and educational supervisors will ensure that they have realistic goals and the means to achieve them, especially the MRCGP. The research component mainly takes place in years 3 and 4 when trainees spend half their time in CAPC. CAPC is part of the NIHR School for Primary Care Research, which has a very high national and international profile in academic primary care and an excellent track record in developing academic GPs. The ACF will meet all senior academic staff individually to understand their research interests and thence choose a project and a supervisor from an established research theme. CAPC is leading major funded programmes of work on infection, mental health, domestic violence, avoidable hospital admissions, skin disease, multimorbidity and telehealth, offering ACFs a wide range of projects. Undertaking a project that will result in publications is strongly encouraged. Trainees can specialise in either research or education, those choosing the latter being supported to take the TLHP up to Master’s level. The ultimate aim is to prepare a higher degree application. All trainees will be members of the Clinical Academic Training school at Health Education Southwest Severn as well as the Primary Care school.
ACFs develop research skills either by undertaking an MSc or taking a variety of courses tailored to their needs. These are available through School of Clinical Academic Training at Severn PGME and also through the Short Course programme in Population Health Sciences. Trainees have individual academic supervision on a regular basis and are part of a supportive peer group. For more information see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare/
7. Description of the clinical training component of the programme: The clinical training is part of the high quality Severn GP training scheme based in Bristol and/or Somerset practices chosen for their involvement in research and education. The first two years offer 18 months in hospital posts and 6 months in general practice. Each of the final two years are based 50% in clinical general practice and 50% in the CAPC. Regular clinical teaching occurs throughout the programme. The Bristol/Somerset programme is one of the most competitive within the Severn School for Primary Care. All recent ACF trainees have taken and passed the MRCGP.
8. Academic Programme Director: Professor Debbie Sharp
9. Clinical Programme Director: Simon Newton or Holly Hardy
10. Severn contact for further information: Helen Stredder
11. Link to NIHR TCC website for further information
12. The post will hold a National Training Number (NTNa).