Courtesy of the NIHR
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has named three pharmacists in its latest cohort of senior investigators.
David Alldred, professor of medicines use and safety at the University of Leeds; Rachel Elliott, professor of health economics at the University of Manchester; and Ian Maidment, professor in clinical pharmacy at Aston University, were announced in the list of 39 new appointments to the Investigators Cohort on 17 March 2025.
The NIHR website says that senior investigators are “prestigious research leaders who make a significant impact on health and care”.
“They also make significant contributions to the work of the NIHR, acting as ambassadors and shaping research across social care, public health, and the NHS,” it adds.
Senior investigators receive discretionary funding of £20,000 per year of appointment to support research activities, “while they take on a senior leadership role within NIHR”.
“As NIHR academy members, they help develop research capacity, guide strategy, and work closely with NIHR and the Department of Health and Social Care to address key challenges in health and social care.”
Alldred said he was “delighted to receive this award” in recognition of his team’s work on the safety of medicines.
“The award means we can build on our research to ensure potentially vulnerable and underserved populations, such as older people living with frailty and people whose first language is not English, benefit from their medicines whilst reducing their risk of harm,” he added.
“The award will also create further capacity for pharmacy-led research.”
Elliott, whose work looks at how economics can be applied to finding solutions healthcare themes, including patient safety and adherence, digital interoperability, antibiotic resistance, mental health and dementia, she was “very pleased and honoured”.
“I will enhance public, patient, and community engagement in health economics through expanded training and funded projects, while promoting inclusion in the academic workforce by proactively reaching out to underrepresented professions, regions, and institutions, supported by my role as post-doctoral award chair in the NIHR Academy”, she added.
Maidment, whose research interests include medication optimisation among older people and people living with severe mental illness, said: “Receiving the award acknowledges the key role of pharmacy in understanding how we can improve medication related outcomes. I’m looking forward to continuing to support the vital work of the NIHR and develop the next generation of academic pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.”
Diane Ashiru-Oredope, interim deputy chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), who received a NIHR Senior Clinical and Practitioner Research Award (SCPRA) in 2024, said she was “absolutely delighted to congratulate our outstanding pharmacist colleagues on receiving these prestigious NIHR research awards as NIHR senior investigators”.
“This recognition not only celebrates their dedication and innovation but also reinforces the impact of pharmacy-led research in shaping the future of healthcare,” she added.
“It builds on the momentum of recent pharmacist successes with NIHR awards such as the Senior Clinical and Practitioner Research Awards (SCPRA) and Development and Skills Enhancement (DSE) awards, further elevating the vital role of pharmacists in driving evidence-based advancements. These achievements have profound implications for the UK pharmacy profession, demonstrating our leadership in health and care research that transforms patient care.”
Ashiru-Oredope said she would “encourage both aspiring and experienced pharmacy researchers to draw inspiration from these successes and actively explore the many opportunities available through NIHR and other funding bodies”.
“As a profession, let us continue to drive innovation, apply cutting-edge pharmaceutical sciences, and enhance our impact on patient and public care through high-quality research.”
Claire Anderson, president of the RPS, commented: “It is good to see three pharmacists being recognised as NIHR senior investigators, a prestigious award. They are all senior leaders in their fields and will make a significant contribution to developing research and acting as ambassadors for NIHR and pharmacy.
“They will contribute to attracting, developing, and retaining a much needed, highly skilled health research workforce in pharmacy.”
