NHS role

Research Nurse / Practitioner

Runs clinical research and trials — recruiting participants, collecting data and ensuring good clinical practice. Open to nurses, midwives and AHPs.

Salary
£39,959–£48,117
NHS demand
Growing
Next step
Clinical Director / Consultant-level Lead

Already here? This is my role →

CareRoute Career Score™
Excellent
relative to other NHS roles

Strong on AI resistance and work–life balance; held back by job security.

Salary growth80

Can reach ~£92,000 via Clinical Director / Consultant-level Lead.

Job security48

Workforce scale not separately tracked; trend not tracked.

AI resistance95

Highly resistant to automation — hands-on clinical work.

Work–life balance95

Strong work–life balance; regular hours.

Entry access55

Moderate entry — moderate study load, moderate competition.

Flexibility62

2 onward routes; good flexible-working scope.

Career Score™ is CareRoute's own indicative rating from public NHS-style data — not an official NHS ranking. A composite of six factors; same inputs always give the same score.

Salary
£39,959–£48,117
Next step
Clinical Director / Consultant-level Lead
Avg progression
~4 yrs
NHS demand
Growing
Study required
Moderate
Flexibility
Solid
Why we scored it 73: Strong on AI resistance and work–life balance; held back by job security.

What you'd do

  • Coordinate clinical trials and studies
  • Recruit and consent participants
  • Collect and manage research data
  • Ensure Good Clinical Practice compliance

Is this you?

You enjoy helping people and working as part of a team
You want hands-on NHS experience
You're drawn to leadership, education & research
You value secure, structured public-sector work

Typical progression routes

Indicative routes from the career graph — not usage data.

Your salary roadmap

Indicative pay on the highest-reaching route, by year.

£39,959
Yr 0
£42,170
Yr 2
£79,504
Yr 4
£84,346
Yr 6
£84,346
Yr 8
See how to reach £91,609

Skills & requirements

Skills you'll use in this role
Attention to detailOrganisationData literacyEthics awareness
What you'll need for your next step → Clinical Director / Consultant-level Lead
  • Research methods + Good Clinical Practice training
  • Senior operational / clinical leadership experience
Latest intelligence

Guides & updates

We're writing in-depth leadership, education & research guides — pay, entry routes and progression. In the meantime, explore the roles and career map above.

FAQ

Questions, answered straight

Band 6–7 on the 2026/27 Agenda for Change scale — indicative figures; verify against official NHS sources.
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Where to look next

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