Coaching and peer support

Description of coaching provided by ECTU for first-time chief investigators of clinical trials, and peer support.

Background

Chief investigators (CIs) of clinical trials need mentoring, coaching and peer support.

The mentorship needs of CIs are met by a variety of schemes (e.g. those provided by the Academy of Medical Sciences, professional associations, the National Health Service, or higher education institutions).

Pilot phase

The ECTU clinical director set up and piloted a coaching scheme for employees of The University of Edinburgh and/or NHS Lothian, who were new (i.e. first-time) CIs developing funding applications for clinical trials to be led by ECTU between 2020-2024. This coaching scheme has been reviewed and approved by the ECTU senior management team and the ECTU clinical advisory group.

ECTU new CI coaching scheme

This coaching scheme is intended to unlock new CIs’ potential to maximise their performance in collaborating with ECTU and to help them learn about the effective development, design, delivery, and dissemination of clinical trials. Coaching for new CIs should involve ‘action learning’, which is, “a continuous process of learning and reflection, supported by colleagues, with an intention of getting things done” (McGill & Beaty 1992). It involves: (1) Support, (2) Challenge, (3) Encouragement, (4) Reflection, (5) Planning, (6) Action, and (7) Evaluation.

The coach is also likely to benefit by learning from coaching a new CI, learning about a clinical trial in a new area by joining as a co-applicant, and experiencing the fulfilment of supporting a new CI to have a good experience of their first clinical trial in collaboration with ECTU.

People are eligible for this coaching scheme if they are:

  1. A new CI of a clinical trial (i.e. they haven’t been a CI of a clinical trial before), and 
  2. They are employed by The University of Edinburgh or NHS Lothian, and
  3. They are seeking to obtain, or have obtained funding for this clinical trial, and
  4. They will conduct the clinical trial in collaboration with ECTU, either fully (i.e. ECTU provides all of the main components of the trial), or partially (i.e. some of the components of the trial are provided by some of the teams in ECTU), and
  5. They wish to be coached by an experienced member of the ECTU CAG.

Coaches are eligible to support new CIs in this coaching scheme if they are:

  1. A member of the ECTU CAG, and
  2. They are familiar with ECTU’s approach to delivery of clinical trials (see ECTU guidance for CIs) and
  3. They are not already based in the same research group / department as the new CI, and
  4. They have the time available to fulfil their responsibilities as a coach.

Coaching programme, version 1.0

Document