Search
Coventry University evaluation confirms long-term positive impact of iCAhRE programme on NHS healthcare professionals’ knowledge and use of research
Coventry University helps deliver the Interdisciplinary Clinical Academic health Research Excellence programme
University news / Research news
Tuesday 25 November 2025
Press contact
A Coventry University evaluation of a bespoke initiative to transform NHS healthcare professionals’ knowledge and use of research has confirmed its benefits.
The iCAhRE (Interdisciplinary Clinical Academic health Research Excellence) programme helps staff at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust to learn about research and use it to further improve patient care.
Since completing the programme, which is delivered by UHCW and Coventry University, participants have been awarded research grants totalling £3.2 million and produced more than 230 publications.
An evaluation of the programme was led by Dr Eleanor Lutman-White and colleagues from Coventry University’s Research Centre for Healthcare and Communities, as well as the University of Nottingham, and showed the iCAhRE programme significantly enhanced participants’ research knowledge and skills, as well as informing and changing clinical practice, building staff confidence, increasing engagement in research-related activities and supporting career progression.
Nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and healthcare scientists form the majority of the clinical workforce providing care to patients but have fewer opportunities to engage in research compared to medical staff.
This evaluation has underlined the vital importance of providing opportunities to develop research knowledge and skills to these healthcare professionals.
Dr Eleanor Lutman-White, Research Fellow at the Centre for Healthcare and Communities
The collaboration between Coventry University and UHCW aims to foster a culture of research across all healthcare professions with the aim of ultimately contributing to improved patient care and outcomes.
We receive very positive feedback on the iCAhRE programme from our staff, many of whom go on to build research careers, and it is great to see this backed up by a formal evaluation. The iCAhRE Bronze programme has had 59 staff gain Master’s modules in research methodology and real-world clinical research experiences.
Nicolas Aldridge, Head of Research Delivery and Impact at UHCW
This evaluation is significant because it highlights that when organisations like UHCW invest in supporting clinical research careers, they don't just advance knowledge, learning and evidence-based care – they empower staff, impact on patient safety and ultimately help shape the future of health and care.
Professor Jane Coad, Professor of Children and Family Nursing at the University of Nottingham, and Clinical Academic Lead for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional research at UHCW
Find out more about the Research Centre for Healthcare and Communities or read the full report here.
