Now open: RCBC Wales First into Research and PhD Fellowship funding calls for Allied Health Professionals

Research Capacity Building Collaboration (RCBC) Wales is pleased to announce two 2021/2022 funding calls are now open – four First into Research Fellowships and one PhD Fellowship, all for commencement April 2022.

RCBC Wales is funded by Health and Care Research Wales and aims to increase research capacity and capability in nursing, midwifery, pharmacy and allied health professions, and to contribute to the development of clinical academic roles.

General enquiries about either calls may be addressed to Marina McDonald, RCBC Wales, University of South Wales.

First into Research Fellowships 2021/2022

The four First into Research Fellowships are available to applicants who hold registration within the UK as a Nurse, Midwife, Pharmacist or Allied Health Professional (i.e. they must be registered with the NMC, HCPC or GPhC upon commencement of study). Biomedical and clinical scientists may be registered with the HCPC or registered through recognised voluntary regulatory arrangements via the Academy for Healthcare Science. Please note that RCBC Wales does not have the funding capacity to consider professionals from outside of these healthcare professional groups.

First into Research Fellowships are for part time study for 12 months on the basis of one day per week. Each award will be for £11,984. Of this, £7,283 will be payable to the employing institution as a contribution for the day release of fellows, £3,820 towards supervision and training costs in the host HEI, up to £520 towards research costs, and up to £361 for travel to attend the Community of Scholars study days.

Application Process Deadlines

Step 1: Contact the Operational Lead at your first choice university to discuss your potential application and to identify a supervisor before submitting the eligibility check form

Step 2: Eligibility check forms are to be completed and returned to marina.mcdonald@southwales.ac.uk by 19 November 2021

Step 3: To assist in refining their ideas, eligible applicants are invited to participate in a webinar with experts in research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, patient involvement, ethics, and health policy and service improvement. They will also consider maximising impact and managing their project. The webinar will be held on 30 November 2021

Step 4: Following the webinar applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal application form 7 January 2022

Step 5: After shortlisting full proposal applications, selection will be conducted via interviews. Interviews will be held w/c 7 February 2022

Step 6: Fellowships will commence 1 April 2022

PhD Fellowships 2021/2022

RCBC Wales will fund the PhD Fellowship full-time for three years. The PhD will be hosted at University of South Wales or Wrexham Glyndwr University.

Applications are open to those who hold registration within the UK as a Nurse, Midwife, Pharmacist or Allied Health Professional (i.e. they must be registered with the NMC, HCPC or GPhC upon commencement of study).

The Fellowship includes a stipend (to a total of £48,726 over three years), contributions towards university fees (to a total of £14,047 over the three years) and research costs (up to a maximum of £2,500), and up to a maximum of £1062 for attendance at the Community of Scholars study days over the three-year award.

Applications for part-time study (no less than 3 days per week) may be considered only at the discretion of the host university.

Application Process

Step 1. Contact the Operational Lead at your first-choice university (University of South Wales or Wrexham Glyndwr University) to discuss your potential application and to identify a supervisor.

Step 2. Eligibility check forms are to be completed and returned to marina.mcdonald@southwales.ac.uk any time up to 19 November 2021. Applicants will be notified within 10 working days of receipt of the check form whether they meet eligibility criteria.

Step 3. To assist in refining their ideas, eligible applicants are invited to participate in a webinar with experts in research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, patient involvement, ethics, and health policy and service improvement. They will also consider maximising impact and managing their project. The webinar will be held on 30 November 2021.

Step 4. Eligible applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal application form by 7 January 2022 to marina.mcdonald@southwales.ac.uk. Full proposal applications will be subject to independent review and successful applicants will be invited to interview.

Step 5. It is anticipated that interviews will be held week commencing 7 February 2022. Fellowships will commence April 2022.