Professor Sarah Tabrizi elected to Royal Society for pioneering Huntington's research
16 May 2024
Publish date: 11 May 2023
A UCLH research manager has won a national leadership award for her work to develop and train research staff.
Sarah Taylor, Research Manager for Complex Pathways within the Cancer Clinical Trials Unit (CCTU) won the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) award for Clinical Research Practitioner (CRP) leadership at the Advancing Healthcare Awards 2023.
She was nominated for her work on promoting, training, and supporting clinical trial practitioners CRPs across UCLH so that they could gain professional status on the AHCS accredited register through the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Sarah said: “CRPs are a hugely valued part of our clinical research workforce at UCLH. They are highly skilled, passionate, and dedicated, but there is still some ambiguity amongst other healthcare groups about the scope and responsibilities of the CRP role. In 2021 the AHCS CRP accredited register was launched, and ever since I have been supporting CRPs to build their portfolio of evidence, which is required to gain their accreditation."
The PSA sets the same level of standards for practitioners as those in statutory regulated professions, so other staff groups, patients and the public are assured that accredited CRPs are competent and committed to achieving high standards of technical competence and personal behaviour.
Sarah said: “It’s fantastic to see this valued role gain the professional status that it deserves. Winning this award, alongside so many brilliant AHPs, was such an honour, and a day I’ll never forget.”
Deidre Brooking, Workforce Development Lead, CRN North Thames, and part of the judging panel, presented the award, and said: “Sarah is a changemaker in a profession where it is hard to be heard; she is creating visibility for an emerging profession and is an embodiment of true leadership.”
The AHAs recognise and celebrate the work of allied health professionals (AHPs) and healthcare scientists who are leading innovative healthcare practice across the UK.
