The Mohn Senior Research Fellowship Programme, which launched in April this year, has enabled eight clinicians from across Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust to be appointed as Mohn Senior Research Fellows. The investment that Dame Marit Mohn has generously provided over a three-year period ensures these fellows have ring-fenced time to lead valuable research projects. It’s a critical step in the Trust’s wider strategy to increase its research capability and capacity, ensuring research is an integrated core quality activity across the organisation. Being involved in research gives patients access to new treatments, drives innovation and improvement across its services, while boosting staff retention.
The Mohn Senior Research Fellowship Programme will support clinicians to develop their research careers and be central to how the Trust increases the uptake of research opportunities more widely. It will embed research leadership across all healthcare professional groups, develop the skills and experience needed to lead studies and secure external grant funding.
Those appointed Mohn Senior Research Fellows, who are pictured with Dame Marit, to mark the launch of this programme are:
- Sharlene Haywood – Nurse Consultant, Nutrition and Professional Nurse Advocate
- Dr Gayani Jayasooriya – Consultant Anaesthetist and Lead for Anaesthesia Research
- Dr Yasmin Pasha – Consultant Gastroenterologist, Endoscopy Training Lead, Medical Examiner
- Dr Svetlana Balyasnikova – Consultant Radiologist and Radiology Research Lead
- Sarah Bidgood – Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioner with special interest in Allergy
- Dr William Turner – Consultant Anaesthetist
- Dr Winston Ng – Consultant Anaesthetist
- Dr Veronica Smith – Respiratory Consultant
Kat Brown, Associate Director of Research at Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We are so grateful to Dame Marit for her support which has enabled the development of our first research focused capacity building programme at the Trust. It’s so important for those who have been appointed to have dedicated clinical time each week to develop their research and to enable the organisation to be involved in more studies and trials. It will also strengthen academic, NHS and community collaborations to ensure our research delivers benefits for our patients, the Trust and our local populations.”
Professor Adam Le Gresley, Director of Health, Education and Society at Kingston University’s Knowledge Exchange and Research Institute said:
“The announcement of this exciting fellowship programme could not be more timely, given the priority areas for research outlined in the recent UK Government Modern Industrial Strategy document. As part of the enduring and highly productive strategic partnership with Kingston and Richmond Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, we look forward to forging further collaborations with our Health, Education and Society Knowledge, Exchange and Research Institute to help with the successful delivery of this programme and to increase the capability and the capacity for combined research income growth.”
Dame Marit Mohn said:
“It is a privilege, as a long-standing member of this community, to contribute to this research programme and help to drive innovation and improve lives.”