NCA Research & Innovation

17/04/2026

Remember this? As the news reported yesterday, the rollout of Covid vaccines – the largest immunisation programme in UK history - has been called an "extraordinary feat", by the Covid inquiry.
Its report praised the speed in which jabs were developed and deployed – 132 million were given in 2021 - alongside how the UK discovered which treatments worked best against the virus.
We are incredibly grateful to all those who contributed to this effort - our research participants, colleagues delivering vaccines as part of the research studies and the many teams supporting them behind the scenes at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. as well as the team at the venue Oldham Leisure Centre.
We're proud to look back on our part in this extraordinary effort and to remember the special camaraderie as we worked together to protect communities and save lives.

15/04/2026

Our Bury research star of the month is research practitioner Sakib Mahmood who works in the neurology research team at Fairfield General Hospital. Most of our research patients have Parkinson’s disease or related conditions and as such, many are older and frailer. Sakib really does go above and beyond for these patients on clinical trials, showing exceptional kindness, reassurance and empathy. On more than one occasion, he has delivered things to patients' homes to save them having to attend the unit which can be a daunting prospect for these frail patients. Thank you Sakib!

14/04/2026

Professor Lesley Rhodes gave TV viewers an insight into the impact of sunlight-induced disorders when she appeared on the flagship ITV show, This Morning on Friday.

Prof Rhodes joined her former patient Sonal Keay in the studio to discuss the businesswoman's condition chronic actinic dermatitis, where any exposure to light causes a painful allergic reaction in her skin. The condition is extremely rare and can mean that she's forced to spend days at a time confined to a dark room.

Prof Rhodes, an honorary consultant dermatologist at Salford Royal (part of -care-alliance-nhs-foundation-trust) , professor of dermatology and photobiology at The University of Manchester and lead for the photodermatoses research programme at the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, diagnosed Sonal back in 1997.

Professor Rhodes said: "I was delighted to have this opportunity to share information about these rare and distressing sunlight-induced conditions and to meet with Sonal again. Our diagnostic and research programmes in Manchester have helped to identify emerging treatments and we're hopeful that in future we can reduce the impact of many forms of photosensitivity."

10/04/2026

Please register by tomorrow if you would like to have your child or young person aged 2-27 screened for type 1 diabetes at our event at St Saviour's Church, Ringley on Saturday 18 April. Details in image.
The consent process takes around 10 minutes, and you will receive a confirmation email once completed. Please note - when selecting which location you would like to have the testing (at the end of the consent form) please follow these options:
1. Community clinic
2. ‘no’ to outpatient clinic
3. Select St Saviour’s Church

09/04/2026

Best of luck to consultant neurologist Dr Mike Kemp, who is taking on not just one but two marathons in the space of seven weeks to support the MND Association.
He's running the Tokyo and Boston marathons to complete the World Marathon Majors Six Star Challenge (London, Chicago, Berlin, New York, Tokyo, and Boston).
He started running during the pandemic for the physical and mental health benefits of exercise and has also supported Bliss the prematurity charity, East Cheshire Hospice and the Stroke Association with previous runs.
He said: "For the culmination of this challenge I've chosen the MND Association as two members of my running club are sadly currently battling this cruel disease and the work MNDA does in support of the individuals, their families, carers, and supporting research and development of care is immense.
"My journey had its own neurological bump in the road as my six star journey was interrupted part way through with a slipped disc and it was Mr Ahmed Abou-Zeid with an endoscopic microdiscectomy who at the beginning of 2024 got me back on my feet and back into my running shoes - Boston will be my fourth marathon since."
His JustGiving link is: https://www.justgiving.com/page/mikerunsboston2026

08/04/2026

A Neurosurgeon’s Journey – Prof Konstantina Karabatsou

Prof Konstantina (Tina) Karabatsou, consultant neurosurgeon at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust recently gave her inaugural MAHSC lecture .

In a deeply personal and inspiring talk, Prof Karabatsou reflected on her professional journey, her leadership in neuro-oncology, and the values that underpin her clinical, academic and educational work – describing neurosurgery as a balance between “the beauty and the beast”: the beauty of the brain, and the beast of the brain tumour.

🔗 Read more & watch the lecture here: https://healthinnovationmanchester.com/mahsc-inaugural-lecture-a-neurosurgeons-journey-prof-konstantina-karabatsou/

07/04/2026

More than 20 million patients a year across the world develop respiratory failure and need mechanical ventilation in critical care units.
Many of these patients are at risk of developing life-threatening bacterial lung infections – ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Now a new research study is testing a new technology bringing the lab to the lung, so infections can be diagnosed quickly and reliably. That will help doctors decide which patients need antibiotic treatment, which ones to use and when to stop them.
The study will add a tiny imaging fibre to a bronchoscope. This will be fed down into tiny air sacs at the bottom of the lungs and fluorescent dyes injected to detect if harmful bacteria are present, with images able to be viewed immediately.
Salford Royal (part of Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust) is one of just four UK sites taking part in the BAC2BAC study, which is sponsored by the University of Edinburgh. Dr Richard O’Sullivan is being supported by the Wellcome Trust to lead the work at Salford, where he is a doctoral clinical research fellow. Critical care consultant Professor Paul Dark is co-principal investigator.

02/04/2026

Best of luck to research and innovation coordinator Melissa Shaw, who is taking on the Chester half marathon on 17 May to raise funds for Pendleside Hospice.

She was inspired to support the hospice by their support and care for her parents when her dad was diagnosed with cancer last year.

Melissa said: "Watching someone you love go through something so difficult is incredibly hard, and it affects the whole family in ways that are difficult to put into words. I am fundraising for Pendleside Hospice as their compassion made an incredibly tough time a little more bearable. This is my way of saying thank you and helping ensure other families can receive the same support when they need it."

If you'd like to help Melissa's fundraising for the hospice's exceptional care and support, this is her JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/melissa-shaw-4

01/04/2026

Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust is leading a new UK-wide service evaluation which will shed light on how continuous neuromuscular blockades are used in intensive care units.

The first comprehensive evaluation of its kind will assess how these high-risk muscle relaxant infusions are prescribed, maintained, monitored, and discontinued in critically ill adult and paediatric patients, as well as how often they’re used and the patient groups in which they are used.

It’s being led by Dr Richard O’Sullivan at Salford Royal Hospital and delivered by the TRIC (Trainee Research in Intensive Care) Network in partnership with the Paediatric Critical Care Society Trainee’s Audit & Research network (PICSTAR), and is supported by the Intensive Care Society and the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine.

31/03/2026

Brilliant work here by our research star of the month at Care Organisation Lilian Amadi. Lilian is working on her MSc in advanced practice alongside her full time job but was also a passionate PI for a study evaluating virtual wards, led by The University of Manchester. She was able to recruit staff needed for this study and identified eligible patients who were admitted to the virtual wards at the time. It was challenging recruiting both staff from two different teams and patients who had been discharged, but by involving the service leads and proactively finding ways to approach and engage people, she was able to successfully complete the year-long study. It has the potential to change practice at Oldham and is a good stepping stone into more virtual ward research.

31/03/2026

Wonderful and well deserved recognition for Dr Tamara Griffiths, consultant dermatologist at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and president of British Association of Dermatologists. Congratulations!

Exciting news from Denver!

BAD President, Dr Tamara Griffiths, attended the Stars of the Academy Awards Ceremony on the opening night of the AAD Annual Meeting 2026. This special welcome reception celebrates the champions of the AAD and recognises their dedication and service to dermatology, with thanks to AAD President Susan Taylor for bringing delegates together.

A huge congratulations to Tamara who received the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Presidential Citation award. This award is for recognition of her exemplary national leadership in dermatology practice and education as President of the British Association of Dermatologists, as well as her advocacy work in cosmetic dermatology regulation.

Additionally, Tamara will be part of the “Global Voices of Impact: Women Dermatology Presidents Leading Change” panel at the AAD Annual Meeting this year. A session which includes current women presidents of dermatology societies worldwide to discuss leadership, global collaboration, and driving change in dermatology.

If you are at the AAD Annual Meeting, this session will be taking place on Sunday 29 March at the Centennial Ballroom from 2:00 to 5:00pm. The Best of British social event will also be taking place the same evening from 6.30 – 8.30pm in Capital Ballroom 2.

28/03/2026

St Saviour’s Church is working in partnership with the community research team from Salford Royal Hospital to offer screening for type 1 antibodies in children aged 2–17 years.
This screening helps identify children who may be at higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes before any symptoms appear, allowing for earlier treatment and helping prevent complications.
The test is quick and simple, involving a small finger-prick blood sample that takes just 2–3 minutes.
Results will be sent directly to a parent or guardian (for children under 16), or the young person (for those aged 16–17) and will be shared by text message or email within 6–12 weeks.
If antibodies are detected, the child or young person will be referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for further assessment, treatment, and support.
How to take part:
Parents of children aged 2–15, or young people aged 16–17, can register by visiting elsadiabetes.nhs.uk
The consent process takes around 10 minutes, and you will receive a confirmation email once completed. Please note - when selecting which location you would like to have the testing (at the end of the consent form) please follow these options:
1. Community clinic
2. ‘no’ to outpatient clinic
3. Select St Saviour’s Church
The deadline to complete consent is midnight on Saturday 11 April - after registering, simply attend St Saviour’s Church anytime between 10am and 3pm on Saturday 18 April for testing.
If you miss the 11 April deadline, or would prefer help completing the consent form, you can email community.research@nca.nhs.uk. A member of the team will be happy to assist you on the day and complete both the consent process and the test.