Sarah, a Children’s Nurse and Health Visitor, has dedicated over 13 years to Locala and currently serves as the 0-19 Research Lead for the Calderdale and Kirklees areas. She is also recognised as a Queen’s Nurse, an honour that acknowledges her commitment to high standards of patient care and leadership within community nursing.

In recent years, Sarah has taken significant steps to promote a research-positive culture within community health services. After completing the Research Champion Training through the 0-19 Research Network (Yorkshire & Humber) as part of an NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) funded initiative, she founded a Research & Innovation Group (RIG) for the 0-19 Service. This group provides a collaborative space where Health Visitors and School Nurses can explore evidence-based practice and engage in research-related activities.

Sarah’s dedication to building research skills within her team extends to her role as Principal Investigator for two NIHR portfolio studies, which she has successfully embedded into the 0-19 Service. These studies have not only benefitted local children and families but have also allowed Health Visitors and School Nurses to gain new competencies and confidence in research.

Through her place on the Senior Research Leader Programme, Sarah will have two protected days per week over the next three years to further develop research capacity within Locala. Her plans include leading a baseline assessment of nursing research activity using the SORT tool, expanding RIGs across other nursing divisions, and supporting colleagues with research career development opportunities.

Speaking about her new role, Sarah said:

“I’ve had some amazing feedback from colleagues in the 0-19 service who’ve said that engaging in research has brought them a new level of job satisfaction. We’ve also received encouraging responses from young people who have benefitted from mental health interventions made available through research studies—interventions they might not otherwise have accessed. I’d really like to help de-mystify research and show that, at its core, research is simply about improving patient care and experience.”

Sarah is now reaching out to nurses across Locala who are either already involved in research or are interested in exploring future opportunities. 

For more information about the NIHR Senior Research Leader Programme and this year’s successful applicants, visit: Senior Research Leader Programme for nurses and midwives | NIHR