On 4th March 2024, the six Patient Safety Research Collaborations (PSRCs) came together for the SafetyNet PhD Networking event, held in Leeds. This event was hosted by the NIHR Yorkshire & Humber PSRC and was the first to bring together PhD students and supervisors from all six PSRC centres.

The day began with fantastic presentations from former PhD students (Daisy Halligan, Becky Musgrove and Ola Markiewicz) about their experiences of doing a PhD within their PSRCs and the opportunities it offered them. This was followed by a selection of oral presentations and poster presentations from current PhD students on their research so far. Topics included the safety of medicines/polypharmacy and deprescribing, low value practices, mental health care, care transitions, burnout in healthcare workers, and caring for people living with multiple long-term conditions and dementia. Each presentation was followed by a Q&A session. Delegates also had the opportunity to vote for their favourite presentations.

The event also held a variety of engaging Learn Together Discussions:

• How to use Ethnography in your studies
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Patient and Public Involvement and engagement
• How to navigate the first 6 months of a PhD
• Co-production in research
• Top tips for writing
• Making an impact with your PhD
• Disseminating your findings

These topics were facilitated by experts from across the six PSRCs and involved some brilliant discussions and invaluable advice and tips for PhD students and their supervisors. These discussions will continue following the event with communities of practice being set up for each of the six topics.

The next PhD networking will be held by the NIHR North West London PSRC in 2025.

Related