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CRRN logoThe Community Rehabilitation Research Network (CRRN) supports community-based health and social care professionals to understand how to bring their rehabilitation research ideas to fruition. We are an inclusive, UK national, multidisciplinary group and support researchers from all backgrounds and with any level of experience. 

If you are looking for guidance to develop a research project related to community rehabilitation, we have compiled development resources for community rehabilitation professionals who want to grow research ideas and progress research careers. We hope this will help to advance your research journey and support your research career.

The CRRN is an NIHR-supported Incubator that was formed in 2024 and is based at City St George’s, University of London. 

 

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CRRN Objectives

Our objectives include:

  • To identify and bring together a diverse range of health and social care practitioners, particularly from underrepresented professions and groups*, to pursue clinical academic careers in community rehabilitation research.
  • To co-design and promote a sustainable national community of practice that links our members with key partners and stakeholders in community rehabilitation.
  • To inspire and develop research knowledge, skills, and confidence in those currently working or aspiring to work in community rehabilitation to engage in research design, delivery, and knowledge mobilization of research findings and to increase applications and success rates for NIHR awards at various levels.

The CRRN objectives to help build research capacity in the area of community rehabilitation were developed in an application to the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) incubator initiative. The objectives were then agreed by the CRRN steering committee.

*Definitions of underrepresented professions and groups can be found here

CRNN Network

The CRRN is run for our members and with our members. This means we support and welcome involvement from anyone who wants to do or does research in the area of community rehabilitation.

Network Map

Map of UK showing Community Rehabilitation Research Network

Locations of our members, collaborators and steering group members are shown on this map.

Structure

The structure of the network is inclusive to reflect what our community wants and needs. We welcome all members to get involved as collaborators or directly with the steering group. CRRN activities are informed using a collaborative, co-design approach. If you have ideas about what you need from us or you would like to get more involved, get in touch at communityrehab@sgul.ac.uk.CRRN Network diagram

The CRRN Team

Professor Lindsay Bearne (founding member)

Lindsay Bearne HeadshotProfessor Bearne’s research focuses on the consequences and rehabilitation of people with long term conditions (rheumatic, musculoskeletal and vascular disease), and the translation of evidence into practice and policy. Her education portfolio is centred on postgraduate research supervision and research capacity building for allied health professional clinical academic researchers. Alongside this, Professor Bearne is a Senior Research Fellow in knowledge mobilization and implementation science at the National Institute of Health and Care Research.

Professor Iain Beith (founding member) 

Iain Beith HeadshotDr Iain Beith is a Professor of Health Education, with a range of experience across all healthcare professions, primarily but not exclusively focused on education provision. Iain brings that profession spanning insight, and this range of experience to the conversations and developing outputs from the hub. This fits with his role as Academic lead for External Engagement at St George’s University of London and from August the 1st 2024 at City St George’s once the two institutions have merged. He is committed to optimizing the opportunity of this larger and more cross cutting organisation.

Professor Fiona Jones (founding member) 

Fiona Jones HeadshotFiona is a Professor of Rehabilitation Research at City St George’s, University of London, she has led studies to evaluate self-management approaches within healthcare teams including stroke, acute brain injury, major trauma and currently long Covid. In 2013 Fiona set up a social enterprise ‘Bridges Self-management’, which is an approach to self-management which started in stroke and is now co-delivered with people living with complex long-term conditions and used by healthcare teams across the UK. Fiona’s focus is on co-design and working in partnership with patients, families, and clinical teams to develop and implement self-management training, interventions, and resources.

Associate Professor Jackie McRae (founding member) 

Jackie McRae HeadshotDr Jackie McRae is the Academic Lead for Research in the Centre for Allied Health and a Speech and Language Therapist with 30 years’ experience working with adults in intensive care with complex communication and swallowing disorders. Jackie has been a successful awardee of NIHR fellowships and provides mentorship and supervision to current applicants. She is a Research Champion for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists supporting research capacity development.

Dr Sarah Roberts-Lewis (Manager)

Sarah Roberts-Lewis HeadshotSarah is a post-doctoral research associate in the Population Health Research Institute at City St George’s, University of London. She manages the CRRN, coordinating its implementation and delivery. As an early career researcher, Sarah has firsthand experience of the NIHR application process. With a clinical background in neuro-physiotherapy, Sarah’s research interests include translating evidence into practice, neurorehabilitation, and inclusive physical activity.

Steering Group Members include:

  • Professor Anita Atwal
  • Professor Michael Backhouse
  • Professor Andrew Bateman
  • Jia Hui Gan
  • Professor Vicki Goodwin
  • Dr Jill Halstead-Rastrick
  • Professor John Hammond
  • Samantha Jones
  • Dr Matt Liston
  • Dr Ralph Manders
  • Dr Mark McGlinchey
  • Dr Glenn Nielson
  • Professor Anand Pandyan
  • Dr Katie Robinson
  • Rachel Sibson

 

Contact us

  • Email communityrehab@sgul.ac.uk
  • Social media: find us on X @CommunityRRN
  • Sign up to receive regular updates about community rehabilitation research capacity, funding opportunities, events, mentoring and more. You can also collaborate as a stakeholder co-designing network activities, as a mentor to new or early career researchers or as an advocate, championing the hub amongst your own reachable networks. Express your interest here.

This Incubator is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views expressed here are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

 

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