Two consultants from The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre have been appointed to leadership positions heading up research across the North West.
Dr Shaveta Mehta and Dr Seamus Coyle will have Speciality Lead roles in the newly formed National Institute for Health and Care Research North West Regional Research Delivery Network. Dr Mehta will be one of its three Specialty Leads for Cancer, with Dr Coyle as its Specialty Lead for Palliative Care.
The appointments come after the formation of the NIHR NW RRDN on October 1st, 2024, one of 12 regional organisations around England designed to enable the health and care system to attract, optimise and deliver research. The RRDN is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care to contribute to NIHR’s mission to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.
Dr Mehta, a consultant oncologist treating patients with brain and breast cancer, is Deputy Director of Clinical Research at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust (CCC), and Dr Coyle, a consultant in palliative medicine, is CCC’s Clinical Lead for Innovation. Both are Honorary Senior Lecturers at the University of Liverpool.
Dr Mehta said: “The formation of the NIHR North West Regional Research Delivery Network marks a significant step forward in regional collaboration and research, aiming to improve patient outcomes and advance medical knowledge, and I am delighted to be playing an important part in leading it.”
Dr Coyle said: “The RRDN is designed to support the successful delivery of high-quality research and increase the capacity and capability of research delivery infrastructure across the region. It is very exciting for me to be able to support this in palliative care.”
Dr Gillian Heap, CCC’s Director of Research and Innovation Operations, said it was an honour for Clatterbridge to have two consultants at the forefront of steering the new RRDN.
She said: “Clatterbridge is a leading research centre and Drs Mehta and Coyle have a wealth of experience in leading clinical trials and supporting researchers in their important work. I am sure their expertise and enthusiasm will benefit healthcare research teams right across the North West.”
For more information about the NIHR North West Regional Research Delivery Network, please visit their website: North West | NIHR RDN
