Hello and welcome to the South West consortium of CAHPR.
Our mission is to provide a range of networks, contacts, links and signposts to support the AHP workforce in undertaking research-related activities.
We aim to develop AHP research, clinical academics, and researchers in the region.
We want to support the strengthening of evidence of the professions’ value and impact for enhancing service user and community care. We want to enable the professions to speak with one voice on research issues, thereby raising our profile and increasing our influence.
Our vision is for strong AHP research activities and outputs facilitating the translation of research findings into practice and education across the South West.
CAHPR South West is run through a network of Co-Leaders, Research Champions, and our marvellous administrator, Jessica Coggins.
Hub Leaders
Dr Ralph Hammond
Consortium Lead
Physiotherapist, Associate Director for NMAHP Research Somerset NHS FT and Senior Research Fellow, University of Plymouth
Jessica Coggins (maternity leave)
Consortium Administration
PhD Student and Research Associate, University of the West of England, Bristol
Leanne Raybould
CAHPR SW Leadership Group Member
Therapy Research Assistant, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Vicky Farrell
CAHPR SW Leadership Group Member
Advanced Practice Physiotherapist – Community Generalist, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Associate Clinical Research Fellow, University of Exeter
Eli Barker
CAHPR SW Leadership Group Member
Therapeutic Radiographer, Somerset NHS FT
Nic Brink
CAHPR SW Leadership Group Member
Physiotherapist, UWE
Rebecca Fox
CAHPR SW Leadership Group Member
Physiotherapist, Royal Devon NHS FT
Vincent Singh
CAHPR SW Leadership Group Member
Physiotherapist, UWE
Contact us
Email us : CAHPRSouthWest@uwe.ac.uk
Twitter / X : @CAHPRsouthwest
Youtube : CAHPR South West England
CAHPR Kernow
We are a group of AHPs working in Cornwall within CAHPR South West and welcome anyone who is research curious. We aim to provide opportunities for AHPs to connect and advocate for the AHP research community at a local level. We can signpost to research support within our local Clinical School, research units and university links. We also signpost and promote opportunities and events.
We meet quarterly and have a fantastic range of speakers. Our quarterly meetings are also a good opportunity to meet with other AHPs that are interested in research. We also regularly email with updates on opportunities and events available to AHPs.
If you would like to join us or hear about research opportunities please request to join our mailing list by contacting us; cft.kernowcahpr@nhs.net
Events
Writing sessions
Our objective is simple yet powerful: to create an environment free from distractions where you can devote your undivided attention to writing. Guided by the renowned Pomodoro Technique, these sessions will cultivate focus and offer brief intervals for a break. Whether you are an experienced researcher or just starting your research career, we invite all Allied Health Professionals within the South West to join us.
No exercises, lectures, or critiques will fill these sessions; instead, they offer a dedicated space for you to focus on writing those abstracts, undertake service evaluations, funding applications, or publications!
Upon joining, we kindly request that you arrive with a clear goal in mind. The sessions will start with a brief conversation, allowing each participant to share their individual objectives. Following this, we will engage in focused writing bursts.
In consideration of the immersive nature of these sessions, we kindly ask that you commit to participating for the entire duration.
Please click on the date to join the meeting.
Advancing Research Careers for Under-recognised Groups in Allied Health Professions across the South West
Funded by NHS England SW, CAHPR South West completed a project exploring AHP research career progression for under-recognised groups across the South West. Katie Williams (pictured right) led the project, which aimed to support the implementation of strategic aim 2 of the Developing a Research Skilled Workforce strategy 2023 – 2026: to improve access and equity,
On Thursday 23rd May 2024, Katie hosted a thank you and feedback session. This event shared the findings of phase one, plans for phase two and a series of of five-minute lightening talks to raise awareness of research career building opportunities and resources available to South West AHPs and AHP support workers. Please find the slides below.
The final report which includes findings and recommendations from phase one and two can be found below.
Developing a research skilled workforce in the South West
NHS England SW has commissioned the University of Plymouth to lead the promotion and engagement of the SW workforce in implementing its regional strategy.
The regional research strategy: DRSW
There are 6 domains to this strategy:
1. Invest in and nurture our workforce
What CAHPR SW consortium is doing:
- We support delivery of the NIHR clinical academic development programme NIHR ICA programme in the south west. This includes paid internships and bridging awards.
- We offer a monthly Conversation Cafe. This is a drop in, online chat to discuss, share, signpost, support, and encourage people at all stages of their clinical academic / research delivery / clinical development journey.
2. Improve equity and access
What CAHPR SW consortium is doing:
- We completed our biggest ever project in 2024: to better understand the barriers and enablers to enabling research advancement for under-represented groups within the AHPs, in the south west (see above).
- We will be working to implement the recommendations from the report in 2026-7.
- We have agreed a memorandum of understanding to form a Cornish spoke to the CAHPR SW hub. This is Kernow CAHPR.
- We welcome interest to form more spoke groups, if this would help to stimulate intest and engagement in research curious AHPs.
- Watch the DRSW webinar Webinar 3 – Do I matter to research? (link to YouTube video)Guest speakers: Amanda Dufley, Vimal Sriram PhD, Munira Khan, Sun Sanders-Jackson and Gita Ramdharry PhD ; Webinar hosted 11 July 2023
3. Lead by example
What CAHPR SW consortium is doing:
- We promote and celebrate role models in providing evidence-based practice, for example our NIHR Developing Research Leaders: Ali Coles, Kath Leman, Nefeli Tompra.
- Signpost AHPs to research leadership development courses.
4. Support south west research priorities
What CAHPR SW consortium is doing:
- In 2023 we undertook an online survey to better understand what AHPs in the south west want from us. We are using this to inform our next steps.
5. Grow our influence
What CAHPR SW consortium is doing:
- In 2026, we will be reached out more explicitly to the AHP Faculties across the region, offering ourselves as a resource for AHP health and care professionals, and support workers, in accessing research development and research delivery opportunities.
- We are working with the NHSE south west workforce training and education AHP lead, Carrie Biddle.
- Our Consortium lead, Ralph Hammond, chaired the CAHPR mission and vision working party in 2023-4.
6. Create a thriving research culture
What CAHPR SW consortium is doing:
- Engaging with the regional research strategy (DRSW)
- Attending the DRSW conferences in 2023 and 2025 with a stand, flyers, and giveaways. We will be at DRSW 26.
- Running a monthly Conversation Cafe
- Running monthly Writing Sessions
- We moderate a Twitter / X feed, for AHPs as a step into the research world
- Our CAHPR Research Champions are a point of contact for AHPs with research questions:
- Angie Logan
- Elaine Willmore
Videos
Support for AHP Research in West of England (link to YouTube video)
Why should AHPs do research?(link to YouTube video)
Top Tips: AHPs in research (link to YouTube video)
My research journey as an AHP: Janice St. John-Matthews (link to YouTube video)
My AHP research journey: Lizzie Bradshaw (link to YouTube video)
Conference/study day funding
Our recent small grants scheme closed on 22nd July 2024. Five applicants were successful in receiving funding to attend a conference/study day. They will be posting summaries of their learning opportunity here in due course.
In 2023, we awarded seven AHPs funding to support their conference or study day attendance.
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement
Links to useful information
- NHS Health Research Authority here
- NIHR Patient and Public Involvement resources for applicants to NIHR research programmes here
Find out more about CAHPR South West, about AHP research, and clinical research
Our twitter feed shares information on events, news, research projects, training opportunities, and funding announcements. Contact us via email if you have specific questions. Scroll to the bottom of this page, below for contact details.
2023
We completed a needs survey with our network, please find this below.
NEWS
NIHR announces £30 million of funding to support AHPs, midwives, and nurses develop clinical academic careers. £30million funding for clinical academic career development
NIHR expands its clinical academic funding awards Opportunities for AHP research development funding
NHSE South West and the University of Plymouth host a Developing and Celebrating a Research Skilled Workforce conference 29 November DRSW23
Developing a Research Skilled Workforce in the South West strategy DRSW strategy
Recent Activities
20 February 2026
CAHPR has a new LinkedIn page.
9 January 2026
New open access digital and data education programme launched for all UK AHP’s
14 November 2025
AHP Workforce Priority Setting Partnership Staff Survey
12 November 2025
Chief AHP Officer Spotlight Conversation | Looking ahead: Research and the AHP community
Professor Suzanne Rastrick in conversation with Professor Joy Conway and Professor Dawn…
Online
05/03/2026
An Introduction to ‘Be Part of Research’ and ‘Join Dementia Research’