South West Anaesthesia Research Matrix

1. Establish a regional network of anaesthetic trainees who conduct multi-centre research and audit with a high potential for making an impact.

2. Allow trainees to continue their involvement in research and audit projects as they migrate around the deanery.

3. Provide training in research for the educational benefit of SWARM members.

4. Attract national funding for research and audit work.

PenCLAHRC supports SWARM through a funded Fellowship programme. This programme allows trainees to take a leading role in SWARM projects - including multiple aspects of project management from design, ethics, recruitment and data collection through to analysis, write-up and presentation. SWARM Fellows are also given the opportunity to develop and lead an upcoming project. The role provides individuals with generic research methodology training and involvement in collaborative working across the six regional NHS Trusts based in Taunton, Barnstaple, Truro, Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter.

The SWARM CUPPA project has been featured in the July 2017 edition of the Royal College of Anaesthetists Bulletin. The collaborative has also recently won the Royal College of Anaesthetists and Clinical Research Network trainee network award, which will be awarded in May 2018. 

PenCLAHRC SWARM Research Fellows:

PenCLAHRC are supporting the development of similar networks across other disciplines within healthcare, including a child health network.