A must-do diary date for research nurses or research delivery professionals,  the 4th annual Clinfield conference in collaboration with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust  is the UK's largest conference for these professionals, with over 220 delegates last year, and more signed up for 19 November.

Building Careers in Clinical Research is a unique opportunity for this group to have its collective voice heard, as the engine that drives UK clinical research. The Conference is a collaborative grass roots initiative, overseen by a multidisciplinary group of healthcare researchers working at the forefront of patient care.

The conference has both specialist and worldwide interest for anyone with an interest in healthcare research.

The Clinfield Annual Conference: 'Building Careers in Clinical Research 4th annual conference'
From the war reporter turned spokesman for the freedom for clinical research to a debate on using Twitter to recruit patients for clinical research, this conference is key for healthcare professionals.

"We want you to be as excited about your own development as you are passionate about patient care" - Clinfield

"With all the current challenges of recruitment and targets in research, it is essential that research nurses and clinical trial practitioners network effectively to learn from each other and share good practice and experiences."
 Christine Norton, Professor of Nursing at Imperial

NT Awards
October 29: The conference is an ideal follow-up to the NT awards, which introduces a new category of ‘Clinical Research Nurse' and is celebrated on Oct 29th.

Topics Covered at the Conference

Can We Use Social Media To Recruit Patients?
The conference's Great Debate topic covers how social media can communicate the importance of clinical research and disseminate findings.

Using social media to recruit patients to clinical trials… is this both safe and effective? Can social media be used to de-mystify research? Is social media a positive way to disseminate study information?

Student Nurses' Introduction To Research:
This subject is a hot talk topic at the conference. Interview available with a student nurse on how difficult she found getting research experience during her studies. 

Research Meets Real Life:
Clinfield offers a range of interviewees exemplifying the importance of research. EG:  Rina Dave is a 4th stage cancer patient presenting a photographic exhibition on the 'The Team Keeping Me Alive', portraying the personalities behind her clinical team based at Imperial College Hospital. She has contributed a poster, too, to the conference. Our Debate panel also has a patient representative who can share her story and is also available for interview.

Training Staff For Consent Issues:
In cases where adults lack capacity, such as dementia or mental illness, how can we train staff to properly consent patients?

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: CHARLES SABINE
Emmy-award winning NBC news journalist, Charles Sabine has been "shot at in Chechnya, blown up in Iraq and taken hostage in Bosnia". But in his own words he now faces his biggest fear since testing gene positive for Huntington's disease. He saw his father die from the disease from which his eldest brother is now suffering, too.

Charles now devotes his personal experience and journalistic skills to his work as a pioneering spokesman for freedom of scientific research, and sufferers of degenerative brain illnesses - in particular, Huntington's disease. A fascinating and informed speaker, Charles is also available for interview pre or post-conference.

CONFERENCE ORGANISER: KELLY GLEASON
A research nurse with 20 years' international experience and the director of Clinfield, Kelly says: "This conference sees the largest group or research delivery health professionals supporting clinical research in the UK to come together. They learn from each other, share best practice, network and leave inspired and re-energised to return to their jobs and give their best. These are the people making health research happen in the UK. They need to have the skills and knowledge to maintain the highest ethical standards and conduct robust research that will change the care of tomorrow."

From her personal in-field experience to Clinfield director, Kelly is available for interview on all subjects related to the conference.

DIRECTOR OF NURSING FOR HEALTH EDUCATION ENGLAND: LISA BAYLISS PRATT
"As a speaker at last year's Building Careers in Clinical Research Conference, I welcome this annual event and the contribution it brings to research nurses, midwives, allied healthcare professionals and other research practitioners - enabling them to come together to discuss career pathways, support, training opportunities and the future of UK healthcare research professionals. I am encouraged to see what this informal "grass roots" led group has achieved in partnership with Clinfield and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust."

Participating organisations:
The conference includes stands by…
Edinburgh Napier University
Florence Nightingale Foundation
Foundations of Nursing Studies
Independent Cancer Patient Voices
INVOLVE
Trials Connect
We Nurses

ON THE AGENDA:
For the full conference agenda, please see link courses.clinfield.com/10121