The UKCRC report outlined a series of recommendations to strengthen training and progression routes

A new awards scheme worth up to £100 million has been created which will give a major career boost to doctors and dentists who combine research or education with clinical practice. Aimed to increase the number of qualified clinical specialists going into medical research and education, the initiative is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department of Health. The bodies will fund up to 200 new senior lectureships jointly over the next ten years.

The move follows growing concern over a drop of some 500 clinical academic staff - one in eight - between 2000 and 2004 in medical disciplines (including specialities in anaesthesia, surgery, pathology, and psychiatry) and in clinical dentistry, as reported by the Council for Heads of Medical Schools in June 2005.

In March, the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) sub-committee for medically and dentally qualified academics, chaired by Wellcome Trust Director Mark Walport, proposed a series of recommendations to strengthen training and progression routes to give a clearer career structure for clinical academics at all levels. The sub-committee also recommended the creation of jointly funded new senior lectureships throughout the UK for professionally qualified staff who showed considerable promise during their training. The UKCRC will co-ordinate the work of the many Government departments, hospitals, universities and charities involved in setting up and delivering the training programmes.

Sir Howard Newby, HEFCE's chief executive said, “The HEFCE believe this significant investment will do much to increase the flow of excellent clinical academics into these vital roles, enhancing the long term capacity and outcomes of clinical academic research and education.”

Awards will be made to the strongest applicants on the basis of a national competition and will be valid for five years. The HEFCE has pledged to contribute up to £50 million into the scheme as a 50 per cent contribution of the total for England. The Department of Health will jointly fund the scheme through local NHS trusts.