GOSH nurse to be part of prestigious new research leadership programme

GOSH nurse Dr Kate Oulton is to become part of a brand new nurse and midwife research leadership programme - the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) 70@70 Research Leader programme.Dr Kate Oulton, who is a Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Academic Programme Lead for Nursing and Allied Health Professional (AHP) Research at GOSH, is one of seventy senior nurses and midwives from across the UK to be accepted onto the scheme. The three-year programme will help strengthen the research voice and drive improvements in care.

Dr Oulton is a key member of the Centre for Outcomes and Experience Research in Children’s Health, Illness and Disability (ORCHID), a research centre at GOSH dedicated to supporting nurses and AHPs to develop their research careers, and has championed initiatives such as an internship scheme to help more nurses get involved in research. These schemes are part of the ORCHID programme, which has been supported by the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre’s Experimental Medicine Academy.

GOSH’s Chief Nurse Alison Robertson said “We’re really proud that Kate has been accepted onto this important programme. As a research hospital, we believe that all staff and patients should have the opportunity to get involved in research if they want to, and Kate and the rest of the ORCHID team have been instrumental in embedding this rich culture of research amongst nurses, the biggest staff group at GOSH.”

Nationally, GOSH is leading the way in supporting research led by nurses and allied health professionals (AHPs) with seven staff members currently enrolled on NIHR Clinical Academic Fellowships and dozens more completing Masters degrees or carrying out research alongside providing clinical care.

As part of the programme Dr Oulton will champion the promotion of a research active culture at GOSH and work closely with the NIHR to champion the nursing research voice nationally.

Dr Oulton said “Nurses’ close patient contact means they are ideally placed to identify research priorities and carry out research to improve the lives of patients. I’m really looking forward to being part of this new community championing nursing research across the UK and helping make sure that patient care is based on the best possible evidence.”

GOSH’s Director for Research - Nursing and Allied Health Professor Faith Gibson said "Kate is passionate about building a research-led care environment. She is well placed to embed a research active culture in all aspects of clinical care."

Find out more about ORCHID.