Research Delivery Network and Royal College of General Practitioners award winners revealed
- 08 November 2024
- 3 min read
The NIHR has recognised the achievements of health and care professionals working in general practice who have enhanced capability and participation in research.
Each year, the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) acknowledge the contributions of NHS clinicians to research with two awards.
The Practice Award is presented to research-active NHS general practices that demonstrate innovation and excellence in research delivery. The First5 GPs Award goes to GPs with an emerging interest or experience in delivering primary care research.
The 2024 awards were held at the RCGP Annual Conference and Exhibition 2024 in Liverpool in October 2024.
Practice Award winner: St Johns Medical Centre
The Practice Award, which recognises research-active NHS general practices that demonstrate innovation and excellence when delivering NIHR RDN portfolio research, was awarded to St Johns Medical Centre in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
The judging panel praised the centre’s "comprehensive and highly effective research strategy" which has resulted in "exceptional recruitment numbers". St Johns were also commended for their "patient-centred approach, prioritising improvement of patient outcomes and addressing local population need".
Dr Lorna McCune, GP Partner at St Johns, accepted the award on behalf of the practice, expressing appreciation for her team and specifically acknowledging the efforts of research nurse Naomi Lawson.
Jo Henry, Matron at NIHR North West Regional Research Delivery Network, said:
"Huge congratulations to the team at St John's Medical Centre for winning this prestigious award for excellence in research, it is truly well deserved. St Johns are one of our key research-active practices in the region. They have worked incredibly hard over the last few years to build up a thriving portfolio of research which addresses the needs of their patients. They have an excellent participation and retention record, which is likely a result of the positive relationships and communication they have with their patient population.
"They go the extra mile to engage with their patients and embed research at the practice and they are always seeking out new opportunities to develop research at the practice and also within their borough and wider areas. It is a pleasure to work with Lorna, Naomi and the team, and we're so proud of them for winning this award."
First5 category: Dr Sophie Reiter
Dr Sophie Reiter was presented with the First5 award, which celebrates GPs with an emerging interest or experience in delivering NIHR RDN research within a primary care setting. She was selected in recognition of her exceptional leadership in advancing research delivery within her practice, Wansford Surgery, Peterborough.
The judging panel commended her for embedding research as a core component of daily operations, alongside exemplary patient and public involvement efforts. They added that Dr Reiter’s contributions to both commercial and non-commercial clinical research demonstrated her strong commitment to integrating research into primary care.
Sophie said: "It is an honour to have received this award which demonstrates the hard work, dedication and success of our research team, and I hope to be an inspiration to other early career GPs who are looking to become involved in primary care research. I passionately believe in the potential of General Practice in Research and will continue to promote the benefits that Primary Care sites can offer."
Karen Tibbenham, Operations Director at the NIHR East of England Regional Research Delivery Network, said:
"Huge congratulations to Dr Sophie Reiter who has been recognised for her role in delivering research within Wansford Surgery. This award is a testament to the steps she has taken to embed research into the day to day operations of the practice, and her extraordinary efforts in engaging patients and the public."
Greg Irving, NIHR National Specialty Lead for General Practice, said:
"It is great to see another tranche of high quality applications for our RCGP and NIHR RDN awards for 2024. The applications of both the practices and the First5 GPs were of the highest possible standard and demonstrated some great examples of innovation and outstanding research delivery."
Dr Nicholas Thomas, Clinical Lead for Research for the RCGP, said:
"We are delighted to celebrate and support the outstanding work of this year’s winners, who exemplify the important role of research in general practice. The awards highlight their dedication and commitment to research in general practice. Congratulations to both Dr Sophie Reiter and the team at St Johns Medical Centre for their exceptional contributions to the field."
