Applications Open – 07 October 2005
Application Deadline – 09 December 2025
Interviews – Jan/Feb 2026 – date TBD – This scheme is organised as one national competition
Fellowships Start – 01 April 2026
The aim of this scheme is to build non-medical research capacity in the NHS. The scheme will support research experienced Clinical staff to develop research as part of their NHS post. This scheme includes – nurses, AHPs, pharmacists, biomedical/clinical scientists, public health specialists, psychologists and paramedics.
This award provides funding for two sessions a week of protected time to conduct and lead clinical research. This will strengthen the research culture in the NHS and increase capacity in priority areas.
This NRS fellowship scheme is for NHS (non-Medical) Clinical Staff who currently have no allocated research time and who would like to incorporate research into their post. If you already have funded research sessions then you are not eligible to apply for further funded sessions through this scheme
The scheme will support Fellows for three years. It is expected that, on completion of their Fellowship, successful candidates will be able to apply for Researcher Support funding through their local R&D/RD&I office.
Those staff already running research programmes should apply directly to their R&D office for Researcher Support.
Award holder activities
The scheme will provide the successful applicants protected time from April 2026 to March 2029 to engage in the following activities:
- clinical research planning and protocol development
- grant writing
- carrying out clinical research
- leading or hosting multi-centre trials as Chief Investigator or local Principal Investigator
- participation in commercial research
- dissemination of research findings, such as writing papers and presentations at major national and international scientific meetings
Details
NHS Research Scotland (NRS) is inviting applications for funding for 2 sessions. The award will be for a period of up to three years (funding is available to March 2029 only), subject to satisfactory review.
Please note that the requested sessions may replace or add to existing commitments within the individual’s work plan. The latter situation would apply to individuals currently working less than 100% WTE – the funding is not intended to support additional EPAs (Extra Programmed Activities) beyond 40 hours per week.
Funding is available to cover direct salary costs of the Fellow. The successful candidates will receive the title of NRS Clinician Researcher Fellow.
Eligibility
- Must be registered with the relevant professional body.
- Must be band 6 or higher, but should not have been at band 8c for more than 6 years as of March 2026
- Must not currently have research sessions paid for by any other means when taking up the fellowship
When calculating time at band 8c extended absences such as career breaks, sickness, maternity / paternity / adoption leave can be excluded. If you need advice with this then please contact csofellowships@gov.scot
Applicants will already have had some research training or experience. This might be demonstrated by a PhD, MD or other postgraduate qualification with a significant research component, but this is not a requirement. Applicants without such a higher degree are still eligible to apply. The scheme is not designed to be a vehicle to obtain a PhD.
Applicants should identify a mentor appropriate to their clinical field and proposed research. This would normally be a senior full-time academic clinician within their Department. In addition it may be appropriate to have a mentor from a partner University.
Application Process
The application should be made via the application form on the application portal on the CSO Flexi-grant System.
My applications – Chief Scientist Office (flexigrant.com)
You will need to
- get your mentors to fill in forms to upload to the system
- get financial information from the relevant R&D/RD&I office
- give your clinical director access to your application to agree to provide the protected time if you are successful
Please ensure you leave enough time to complete this before the deadline of midday 09 December 2025 as applications that are not complete will not be considered and you will not be able to submit the application without the clinical director sign off.
If you have any questions about the scheme then contacts within each node are below or you can contact the CSO fellowships team.
North East
NRS North (NHS Grampian/Highland/Orkney/Shetland/Western Isles)
Seshadri Vasan Gram.RandD@nhs.scot
NRS East (NHS Tayside/Fife/Forth Valley)
Russell Petty r.petty@dundee.ac.uk
South
NRS South– (NHS Lothian/Borders)
Andy Peters Andy.Peters@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk,
West
NRS West (NHS GG&C/Lanarkshire/Dumfries & Galloway/Ayrshire & Arran/NWTCB)
John Haughney john.haughney@nhs.scot