Tessa Jowell AHP Research Fellowships

Fellowship opportunity to enable Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to engage in high-quality brain tumour research through training and support to enhance personal and professional development.

The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) is a non-profit independent community interest company that delivers a national programme portfolio to tackle brain tumours.

TJBCM believes that high-quality, evidence-based Allied Health Professional (AHP) input is essential for addressing the complex needs of patients with brain tumours. The Tessa Jowell AHP Research Fellowships aim to empower AHPs in their personal and professional development by providing training and support to engage in high-quality research, thereby strengthening the evidence base for brain cancer pre-habilitation, rehabilitation and supportive care. The initiative wishes to create a new generation of research-active AHPs empowered to improve care for patients with a brain tumour through practices grounded in the latest scientific evidence. TJBCM is working in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to deliver this scheme.

Access to AHP services varies significantly across UK centres, with diverse models of service provision. A lack of neuro-oncology specific research in this area has resulted in limited evidence for rehabilitation for patients with a brain tumour and consequently few guidelines to inform practice. This has hindered standard setting and service harmonisation, and has led to an undervaluing of AHP roles, which are often not prioritised in funding decisions. There is a need for more evidence in brain cancer rehabilitation to establish best practice guidelines and reduce service variation across the UK.

The fellowship will enable candidates to excel in research-driven practice in the following ways:

• Applied clinical research skills: Develop a clear understanding of how to design and deliver a clinical research project.
• Evidence-based practice integration: Develop an understanding of how to translate research findings into clinical practice to improve care.
• Patient-centred research approaches: Engage in co-production with patients and the wider community to incorporate lived experiences into research design and application.
• Communication and dissemination: Develop skills to write, present and disseminate findings to wider audiences, thereby informing broader guidelines.
• Leadership and collaboration: Develop leadership skills to champion AHP-led research in neuro-oncology.
• Professional growth and career planning: Demonstrate awareness of personal development needs and next steps in research careers, while actively expanding a professional network with experts across the UK.

The key aim of the fellowship is to enable AHPs to engage in applied clinical research to generate evidence for AHP service provision, while supporting professional growth and advancing longer term career goals. Research proposals are therefore recommended to focus on projects that will enhance the understanding and improvement of clinical practice, service delivery or patient outcomes, specifically those involving pre-/rehabilitation and supportive care for patients with a brain tumour. Projects may take various forms, including contributing to ongoing research work, participating in a larger initiative or starting a project that may continue beyond the fellowship.

There are two pathways tailored to AHPs at different stages in their research:

• Pathway A – Experience in Research: For AHPs who have previously engaged in research or are currently involved in research. This pathway provides the necessary support to lead a well-defined project, thereby strengthening research expertise and advancing long-term career goals in clinical research.
• Pathway B – New to Research: Aimed at AHPs who have not yet undertaken research but wish to do so. This pathway offers a supported opportunity to engage in a research project, gain hands-on experience and develop new skills for professional growth.

This part-time, fully funded clinical academic fellowship will enable AHPs to undertake research alongside their clinical duties. Dependant on the proposed research project, fellows will dedicate 30% to 50% of their job plan to the research project, over a two to four year period. The application process welcomes candidates from a broad range of training backgrounds and offers opportunities for growth, whether the candidate has previous research experience or is just starting. The applicant may work full-time or part-time and may apply to undertake the fellowship in addition to their part-time role.