Client case studies

Florence Cook is a Head and Neck Oncology Dietitian at University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and MPhil/PhD student at UCL (Division of Surgery and Interventional Science).

Florence is currently undertaking an NIHR Doctoral and Clinical Academic Practitioner Fellowship (DCAF).  Her research investigates post-operative feeding practices and nutritional intake in patients with head and neck cancer who have undergone reconstructive flap tissue surgery.

Florence spoke to us about her experience with pursing a DCAF and the support she received through the NIHR Research Support Service.

Involving more dietitians in research

“There are currently not many clinical academics within the NHS who are dietitians, but I don't think it's just dietitians. Allied health professionals in general are underrepresented in clinical academic roles in the NHS when compared to medics. I am the first dietitian in my trust to be awarded an NIHR doctoral clinical academic fellowship.

We've got a lot of catching up to do, but I think having other people who've gone for it just makes a big difference.”

Receiving support from the Imperial College London and Partners RSS Hub:

“Having guidance and support from the Research Support Service really helped me when developing my application. Having someone who is external to your research but ‘gets’ the methods really helps. They can give a very independent point of view on your writing.”

Going through a mock interview with the RSS

“The RSS mock interview was really helpful. Setting up mock interviews can be difficult, as ideally you need a few subject or methods-based experts coordinated to attend at a defined time. But these individuals tend to already have very busy diaries! Knowing that this service is available from the RSS is incredibly reassuring and helpful.

My RSS lead interviewer set up a panel that was specifically aligned to the research methods in my proposal, which included people with mixed-methods expertise. My mock interview was so well organised, so detailed. And in terms of level of difficulty, I'd say that my RSS one was not dissimilar to my actual interview. Plus, they gave me lots of helpful feedback on my presentation slides.

After my mock interview they gave me a list of questions they developed when they screened my application. This really helped me with further interview preparation and knowing areas of my application that might require further justification and consideration.”

Championing new voices in health and social care research

Having health and social care professionals leading research like Florence, with on-the-ground experience can lead to innovative and practice-changing research.

Florence’s research idea was inspired by problems she directly encountered in her work as a head and neck dietitian. Her project will investigate post operative feeding practices and nutritional intake after head and neck surgery.

“Nutrition is vitally important for recovery. We know that good nutrition is directly associated with post-operative outcomes such as wound healing, quality of life, morbidity and mortality. I hope that my research will help improve the way we manage post-operative nutrition care in head and neck cancer.”

The role of the NIHR Research Support Service

“I'm very grateful for all the help that I've received. All the services have been exceptionally professional and extremely detailed.”

On applying for an NIHR fellowship

“Embarking on a clinic academic career pathway has been challenging, enlightening and rewarding. There are lots of ups and downs on this journey but taking that step to apply has been the best thing I have done in my career to date. It has changed the way I think, helped me build my resilience and made me a better clinician”

Find out more about getting support from the NIHR Research Support Service Imperial College London & Partners Hub.

Meet Simon Twite, an NIHR Pre-doctoral Local Authority Research Fellow.
Simon contacted the NIHR Research Support Service to access guidance when applying for his fellowship application:

 “I’ve worked in public health for about 20 years and for the past three years, I’ve been on a secondment funded by the NIHR through the Local Authority Research Practitioner project. Supporting local government to become more research-active, helping councils like the one I work in to use and do research that improves public health outcomes.

In that role, I’ve acted as a bridge between local government and academia, aiming to bring the two worlds closer together.

Last year, I applied for and was awarded the NIHR Pre-doctoral Local Authority Fellowship. It’s a one-year programme that supports people who work in local government or the voluntary sector to build research capacity. The fellowship allows me to stay in my job while getting methods training or even doing a research Master’s, all while developing a research question for a future PhD.

I got in touch with the Research Support Service in early 2024. My advisor Sandra, at the Imperial RSS Hub, was brilliant, she gave me thorough and thoughtful feedback on my Fellowship application: it made a huge difference. When I first completed the application, I didn’t have a fully crystallised idea, but that early input and steer from Sandra was extremely helpful.

You realise how important expert support can be when you're stepping into a new space like academic research. I’d absolutely recommend the RSS to others. You’ll be met with kindness, structure, and some valuable advice.

For anyone who’s new to doing research, it can feel intimidating, but the RSS is there to help shape your ideas.

Looking back at my journey engaging with the NIHR RSS, I can say without hesitation that it’s been entirely positive, and incredibly valuable. If I had one message to share with others thinking about applying for NIHR support, it would be this: don’t wait. Engage with the RSS early on even if your ideas feel vague.

Now, I’m halfway through the Fellowship. It’s exciting and challenging too, a fantastic opportunity to build my research skills and contribute to making local public health more evidence based.”

Adine Adonis is a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Neurology at St Mary’s Hospital and a Lecturer in Physiotherapy.

She is pursuing a NIHR Doctoral and Clinical Academic Practitioner Fellowship (DCAF).

Adine’s research project focuses on outcome measurements for people with Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus-Type1(HLTV), a rare virus mainly found in Afro-Caribbean and Black African communities

To support her successful fellowship application, Adine accessed application guidance and a mock interview through the NIHR Research Support Service.

“I’m excited to get started with my Fellowship, and I’m hoping that doing it full-time will give me the time I need and continue to focus on my clinical work. I’ve already got an amazing supervisory team in place, so that’s a huge relief.

Overcoming setbacks

It wasn’t easy to get here, as initially, my first DCAF application got rejected, which was disheartening. But I knew I had to adjust, so I changed my supervisory team, tweaked and resubmitted the application, this time with much better feedback.

I love networking, bringing people together, and creating opportunities, but it can be difficult. I think this is especially challenging for people from underrepresented groups like Allied Health professionals (AHPs).

My advisor from the Research Support Service (RSS) was incredibly responsive and helpful: he connected me with other professionals, like a health psychologist, who assisted with specific aspects of my application. He was there to give feedback on my mock interviews and revisions, and honestly, his support has been invaluable.

Having a mock interview

The RSS even organized a mock interview to help me prepare for the real one.

The mock interview was tough but incredibly useful. It helped me understand where I needed to improve, and it gave me the insights I needed to feel more confident going into the actual interview.

The real interview was a challenging experience, but I got through it by keeping the bigger picture in mind: helping the Afro-Caribbean and Black African communities that make up a significant portion of my patient population.

Improving health inequalities

My research is heavily focused on health inequalities, especially in these communities. That’s something I’ve always been passionate about, and it’s one of the reasons why I’ve stayed so committed to this project despite the setbacks.

One of my supervisors, who’s a health outcome methodologist, pushed me to really think about how we measure things and whether some of those tools are inherently discriminatory.

That was a big moment for me: it made me reconsider certain aspects of my research and go back to the RSS for more clarification and guidance.

Looking back, the journey has been tough, but I’ve learned so much. Having the right people supporting you is so important.”

Jess Eaton is a paediatric radiographer at Great Ormond Street Hospital, she specialises in forensic imaging.

Jess has completed a HEE/NIHR Pre-Doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (PCAF) award and is now pursuing a NIHR Doctoral and Clinical Academic Practitioner Fellowship (DCAF).

Her research explores the experiences of families and radiographers during examinations for unexplained bone fractures in children. With the aim of improving the process of these sensitive investigations.

To support her successful fellowship application, Jess accessed application guidance and a mock interview through the NIHR Research Support Service.

She shares more about how this assistance helped her secure a DCAF award:

The research journey for health professionals

“As a radiographer, there can be barriers to getting involved in research. Compared to other allied health professions, radiographers are underrepresented in the research arena. Building a supportive team that understands the NIHR scheme is essential.

My research project focuses on understanding the experiences of radiographers and the adults’ accompanying children with unexplained fractures during x-rays and scans. Many people don't realize that radiographers play an important role in child safeguarding. These investigations can be highly traumatic for both families and staff.

The findings from this project will help create resources to better support staff and families accessing these services in the future.”

Applying for the DCAF

“Applying for an NIHR fellowship is a significant undertaking. The RSS provided valuable support throughout the process.

The lengthy DCAF form benefited from having a fresh pair of eyes to review it. Feedback and recommendations from RSS staff, who had expertise in my research methodology, were essential for refining my application.”

Having a mock interview

“The RSS team carefully selected panel members whose expertise aligned with my proposed project. This ensured the questions they asked were tailored to the methodologies and subject matter of my research.

The timing of the mock interviews was ideal, occurring a week before my actual interview. This allowed me time afterwards to adjust and practice the anticipated questions.

Many of the questions from the mock interview did in fact arise during my real interview. This helped me remain composed, confident that the RSS team's preparation had equipped me well.

From start to finish, the RSS service proved incredibly valuable. The team's support and guidance were instrumental to the success of my application.”