Senior Clinical Lectureship Awards for Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals and Healthcare Scientists

Yes. We will profile the money so that you receive a pro rata salary. This means the total award amount is the same for a full-time award but is spread over a longer period of time.

The HEI must be in England and currently receive quality-related research (QR) funding for research in nursing, midwifery or allied health professions. In other words those having made at least one submission in Units of Assessment 11 and 12 to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.

HEIs not meeting this eligibility criterion or wishing to submit an individual working in healthcare science must attach a supporting statement describing how the HEI will be able to provide a suitable research environment to support the nominee. The statement should provide evidence of a strong and established healthcare research environment into which the nominated individual will be fully integrated.

The statement should also include information on their investment in the areas of nursing, midwifery, allied health professions and healthcare science and the HEI's strategies for promoting and developing research staff in these areas. 

No. These awards are supported by the NHS and cannot be funded by private health trusts.

Yes , so long as applicants have permission to work in the UK and their nomination is supported by an English higher education institution and NHS Trust. They must also meet the other eligibility criteria set out in paragraphs 11 - 21 of the guidance.

No.

There is no limit to the number of applications that an institution can submit. But we assume the candidates put forward are the most suitable for the award criteria. Where several applications are received from the same department, we expect the rationale for nomination in the application form to clearly address why they are all equally suitable candidates.

No. You must complete the application form and we cannot accept any additional information.

Please list the ten best or most relevant publications.

Yes, signatures can be on different pages. We will allow additional sheets provided they are only for additional signatures. The application form, signatures and equal opportunities form must be sent in together.

• A printed copy of the nomination form (sections A-E) signed in section E. Make it clear that this is the 'original' form.
• Two further copies of the nomination form.
• One printed copy of the completed equal opportunities form.
• One copy of the form to confirm submission of research doctorate if required.
• One copy of the supporting statement if the nominating HEI does not meet the eligibility criterion of having made a submission to UOAs 11 or 12 in the RAE2008.
• A CD or memory stick containing all completed sections of the application form.

No. All applications will be judged against criteria outlined in the guidance paragraph 40. In exceptional circumstances, academic discipline may be considered in the final selection process if it is deemed necessary to aid the provision of awards balanced across a range of specialisms (if, for example, we receive a disproportionately large number of applications from a particular discipline, and there are no other discriminating factors between shortlisted applications).

We will write to the administrative contact provided in the application of all nominees to let them know the outcome of the nomination. These letters will include some feedback.

We will send out an award acceptance form. Please fill this out and return as soon as possible. We will also need a signed copy of award holder's contract and their confirmed start date before we can set up payments (as detailed in the award acceptance form).

We will send a letter to the award holder's finance contact with details of the payments, and will need confirmation they have started in the position. Payments are made to their university in the monthly HEFCE grant and will be marked for identification. The first payment will be made three months after their start date and then six months later. Twice-yearly payments of equal amounts will be made each year in the same months.

Each year we will require assurance that the award holder is still employed in the same capacity as was outlined in the original nomination and in line with the terms and conditions of the award. Annex A in part 3 of the guidance includes a form for this purpose.

No. We have a tight timeframe to collate application forms and send them to the referee and selection panels.

The balance of work is expected to be equal, but some leeway is permissible. The referee panel and selection panel will be looking to see if the research plans can be achieved in the available sessions and if there is enough clinical time to support research and maintain professional skills.

Award holders will normally be fully qualified clinicians with an established personal research portfolio. Exceptionally, candidates may be considered if they have submitted their thesis but have not yet been awarded a doctorate, where they have already displayed attributes that mark them out as a Principal Investigator. Nominees who have not yet been awarded their doctorate at the time of application must include the confirmation of submission of research doctorate form (Section F) completed by the doctoral supervisor with their application.

Nominees who have submitted their thesis must have successfully completed their thesis examination, and provided official evidence of this to the NIHR TCC by 31 October 2010. 

This award scheme is designed to create new opportunities for individuals to make the step in their career to the senior level. So individuals who currently hold, or have previously held, senior clinical academic posts (including posts at this level held abroad) should not be nominated.

But candidates who have held only honorary academic posts are eligible. Individuals who currently hold, or have previously held, awards for clinical research at a senior level from another funding source (for example certain senior fellowships) for which the normal entry requirements are at the same level as for this scheme are not eligible.