Today’s leadership message is from Dr Caroline Thomas, Consultant Anaesthetist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Posted on: 2 October 2026

Today’s leadership message is from Caroline Thomas. Caroline is an avid champion of health and care research and developing the skills of principal investigators for clinical trials. Alongside her role as Consultant Anaesthetist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, (LTHT), Caroline also has two leadership roles with the NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN); Regional Specialty Lead for Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management and Regional Hospitals Settings lead. She is also a Chief Investigator and a Principal Investigator for NIHR portfolio studies.

Hello, my name is Dr Caroline Thomas and alongside my role as a Consultant Anaesthetist in Leeds, I also chose to take on two dedicated leadership roles to drive health and care research locally and in our wider region.

Research is important to me. I see the value it has to the patient, to the system, and to people who champion its importance. Research helps improve care and helps make the best use of public spending. It opens up opportunities for patients to join clinical trials which can advance treatment and promote access to innovations.

My research journey started when I was undertaking postgraduate training in anaesthesia. After I was appointed as a substantive consultant in Leeds in 2017, I had the opportunity to be involved in research across the Yorkshire and Humber region and since then, alongside our research delivery team, I have worked on successful, high-quality NIHR portfolio research studies. My experience of working in research leadership and delivery roles locally, regionally and nationally has allowed me to spot gaps and opportunities for patient involvement and staff development.

One of my proudest local research achievements has been my involvement with setting up a dedicated research delivery team in theatres and anaesthesia in LTHT. Dedicated research delivery roles and integrating research opportunities into everyday care has promoted research involvement for patients we care for.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, the NIHR is very effective in recruiting a network for research participants, with over 106,000 people recruited during 2025-2026 to 1,123 NIHR Research Delivery Network portfolio studies. Our prominent delivery organisations play a vital role in promoting inclusive research. We have research-active organisations right across our region - across hospitals, primary care, community and residential settings.

Although hospitals remain the biggest recruiting research delivery sites, we are delivering the government's mission to promote health and care services research in non-hospital settings. By making health services and research opportunities available in GP practices, pharmacies, dental practices, community centres, hospices, prisons and more, this enables research to be accessible for all, and now 16% of research happens beyond hospital settings.

As a regional network we deliver research which saves and changes lives. Behind this is a whole infrastructure of key roles and governance processes to ensure accurate and well-governed research. One of many crucial roles in research set up and delivery is the appointment of a study 'Principal Investigator (PI)'. During my time as a consultant clinician and with the NIHR, I have taken on the role of PI for 14 studies and I have supervised 12 resident doctors completing the NIHR Associate Principal Investigator scheme. PI activity is a vital part of the running of studies and alongside other members of the research delivery team. PIs ensure that studies progress and meet their timescales and recruitment targets.

Thank you to everyone involved in all aspects of research right across our wonderful regional network and all the work you do each day to improve care for people in our services and communities.

Further information about the NIHR, Principal Investigators and the Associate PI scheme can be found on the NIHR website or email associatepischeme@nihr.ac.uk

What's been happening

Bradford Royal Infirmary

Bradford Teaching Hospitals leading the way in creating safe learning spaces for student doctors, nurses and other health professionals

A joint initiative between Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Leeds is leading the way in a partnership-wide approach to preventing, identifying and responding to harassment and sexual misconduct affecting trainee doctors and other health students on clinical placements.

It is hoped the collaboration will become a model for the University’s other clinical placement providers and NHS partners. Find out more on the trust website.

Partnership project shortlisted for national awards

Congratulations to the Bradford District and Craven Wellbeing Network which has been shortlisted for two National Charity Today Awards: the Community Impact Award and the Partnership of the Year Award.

Since the Wellbeing Network was founded in 2022, it has supported more than 15,000 people. This has included helping people at risk of suicide find new purpose, supporting people experiencing loneliness and isolation to rebuild social connections and become more involved in their communities, and aiding households to improve their finances through money-management and benefits advice. Find out more on the Network website.

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust highlighted as national example of best practice in rollout of one-minute immunotherapy jab

Julie Lawford

Last month, NHS England filmed with Julie Lawford, a Huddersfield patient, about her experience of receiving the new injectable form of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy treatment used for cancer. The rollout has reduced treatment time significantly, from around three hours to approximately 30 minutes. Find out more on the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust website.

Mid Yorkshire surgeon shares specialist expertise with surgeons in Ghana

Mr Sah and Mr Boamah

Specialist surgical expertise used to care for patients at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is helping to develop the skills of surgeons thousands of miles away in Ghana.

Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Mr Sunil Sah spent three days in Ghana in July. There, as part of his study leave, he delivered specialist training in advanced head and neck reconstructive surgery in partnership with the University of Ghana Medical School.

Mr Sah specialises in complex reconstructive surgery, with his clinical expertise supporting the care of patients at Mid Yorkshire for over 12 years. Alongside his clinical role, he has a longstanding commitment to surgical education and sharing his specialist knowledge with surgeons internationally. Find out more on the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust website.

Preventing falls before they happen – how a Keighley pilot scheme is helping people stay safe, active and independent

Neighbourhood Health decorative graphic

Our latest Neighbourhood Health case study focuses on a six-month pilot scheme in Keighley showing how health, care and community organisations worked together to identify people at risk of falling and offered support before a crisis happened.

The proactive falls prevention scheme used health data to identify older people who may be at increased risk of a fall, then connected them with a range of support. This included home assessments, medication reviews, exercise and education sessions, digital health monitoring and community activities.

Around one in three people aged 65 and over experience a fall each year, with consequences that can include fractures, hospital stays and reduced quality of life. In Bradford District and Craven, there were 2,207 falls-related admissions among people aged 50 and over in 2024, at an estimated system cost of £12 million.

The project brought together Modality PCN, Keighley Healthy Living, Bradford Council, Bradford District Care Trust, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to offer targeted support to people identified as being at increased risk of falls. The next step is to build on what we’ve learned, look at potential for longer-term funding and more inclusive ways of reaching people as well as simpler referral and assessment processes.

Read the full case study, including stories from those using the service, on our Neighbourhood Health case study pages.

Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber publishes latest impact report

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Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber’s latest Impact Report highlights the key programmes being delivered with the support of partners and stakeholders across healthcare, industry and academia, to improve the health and prosperity of our region. Each programme of work aligns with the government’s three shifts: analogue to digital, sickness to prevention and hospital to community, whilst highlighting how the organisation drives economic growth throughout Yorkshire and the Humber.

Over the next few editions, we will showcase some of the programmes delivered in partnership with Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, sharing the impact they are having across West Yorkshire and the difference they are making for patients, NHS services and the wider economy.

Led by the West Yorkshire Innovation Hub, in partnership with NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, Kidney Research UK and AstraZeneca, a world-first population health Digital Twin has been developed. The SYNTHEKID testbed’s first project will focus on improving the outcomes of chronic kidney disease and has national and international significance.

Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber’s flagship accelerator Propel HealthTech West Yorkshire has had a milestone first year after a funding boost to support Healthtech innovators to accelerate growth and bring cutting-edge solutions to the NHS. The first cohort of 30 innovators have completed the programme and an additional £335,000 has been leveraged by three Propel innovators.