The workforce delivering translational and applied health research: A cross sectional survey of their characteristics, studies and responsibilities

BackgroundTranslational and applied health research, and the workforce needed to deliver it, have grown substantially in the last 10 years and this growth is likely to continue. However, there are few good empirical studies of the workforce and only limited evidence on which to base future policy and practice.AimTo provide a better understanding of the workforce that delivers translational and applied health research by exploring who delivers studies, what types of studies are delivered and what delivering them entails and whether this varies across employment contexts.MethodsA link to an on-line questionnaire was sent to 280 non-medical researchers in England funded by the National Institute for Health Research to deliver translational and applied health research; 168 (60%) responded. Responses were analysed quantitatively.FindingsParticipants were from 11 occupational groups, with nurses (77%) the most common. Most (82%) had worked on clinical trials and almost as many (73%) on observational studies. A fifth had conducted studies outside hospital settings. Participants recruited from Community sites more often reported taking a medical history (p = 0.022) and carrying out initial assessments (p = 0.028) and less often reported managing other staff (p = 0.036). Those recruited through the University Hospital more often reported contributing to development of new studies (p = 0.000); to research governance (p = 0.001) and protocols (p = 0.000); and to writing publications (p = 0.005).DiscussionThere is greater diversity in the workforce than previously identified, more variation in types of studies delivered and a wider range of settings. Responsibilities vary across employment contexts.ConclusionsThis diversity needs to be acknowledged in educational, training and career planning to sustain capacity for delivering translational and applied health research in the future.