On 7 January 2020 at the first new members ceremony of the year, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) presented the RCP and Clinical Research Network awards trainee prize to Dr Emily Heiden from the respiratory department at the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
The NIHR was established by Dame Sally Davies, the previous chief medical officer, in 2006 to facilitate and develop clinical research in the NHS. Clinical Research Networks (CRNs) are the local groups of researchers that deliver this clinical research and have been responsible for a significant increase in the amount of clinical research being done in the NHS.
‘It gives me great pleasure to be able to award these special prizes to recognise trainees’ contribution to research. The NIHR CRN/RCP research awards are annual awards given to RCP trainee members who have demonstrated excellence in the field of clinical research and the quality of submissions is always outstanding.’
Emily’s research has been on several aspects of respiratory medicine, but perhaps her greatest achievement has been the running of the Vision-D trial in Portsmouth. This was the largest ever study of physiological measurement techniques in the world and showed how the NHS can work with innovative technology to improve patient outcomes.
Read more about the Clinical Research Network research awards scheme eligibility and how to apply on our website.