Future-proofing the NSW medical research workforce with the Clinical Trials Register of Staff

A successfully piloted new platform to record and support the dynamic NSW research workforce, is capturing important information for the Office for Health and Medical Research.

At the heart of medical research in NSW are the dedicated staff who conduct clinical trials, which advance novel healthcare treatments, diagnostic tools and service delivery systems. To better understand this diverse workforce, the Office for Health and Medical Research, is mapping a record of healthcare workers involved in clinical trials. This data is being collected via a new platform called the Clinical Trials Register of Staff (CiTRoS, also called the Register).

Identifying workforce gaps and needs

The first of its kind in Australia, the Register, which was launched and successfully piloted in 2024, can now provide a better understanding of the knowledge and experience of people working in clinical trials. The survey summarises their current role in the clinical trial ecosystem, the educational opportunities they seek and the career progression pathways they need. This will then inform and guide NSW Health initiatives for improved staff education and training and opportunities for a vibrant clinical trial workforce in NSW.

The Clinical Trials Register of Staff complements The National Clinical Trial Governance Framework, which requires health service organisations to record and support their clinical trials workforce. The Register will support this data collection by providing a summary of registered staff working in the clinical trials sector in NSW and form a reference source for future local, state and national initiatives. It further aligns with national interest in a globally recognised and reputable workforce that perform diverse tasks that include outreach and engagement, as well as understanding the science of research.

Stocktake of staff involved in clinical trials

“Currently we do not know whose clinical work includes research simply by their job title or employment contract alone,” says Kath Irish, Manager of clinicaltrialsNSW at the Office for Health and Medical Research. “This is because people working in clinical trials units or teams, are employed under many different roles and agreements, which don’t necessarily provide details on what is involved in the role. Research is also funded in different ways. This means that involvement in clinical trials may be embedded in a person’s regular job or they may be employed to work directly on a specific project within their department, health service, or across many organisations.”

Supporting workforce retention and career progression

The Register will help address these information gaps and enable the Office to know more about the education and training of the current clinical trials workforce. “By understanding the size and shape of the clinical trials workforce and their needs, the Clinical Trials Register of Staff will provide valuable data to inform the policies and programs developed by NSW Health,” says Irish. “This data will then support our uniquely skilled NSW healthcare workers and be used to help close any workforce education or retention gaps and strengthen and sustain clinical trials availability in NSW.”

A user-friendly system

In only five to ten minutes, any healthcare worker can log their data in the Clinical Trials Register of Staff. They can record their details and utilise the drop-down menus to record information such as the geographical location they work in and the area of the healthcare sector they work in. “As the Register will be updated and self-reported by staff, this means we can know how people move between different jobs to better support their needs,” Irish explains. “The link to the Register also provides access to a very short survey, with the assurance that information will be kept secure and not released to external stakeholders.”

Building workforce retention and research capacity

The Register is collecting information on the current job and educational background of people working in the clinical trials sector to inform NSW Health programs aimed at supporting development of this workforce. “A future plan is for the platform to include a job-matching and mentoring component, with a listing of available research-related roles,” says Irish. “The idea is that people in the system will also be able to indicate they are looking for a new, next or different role”.   

The Register aims to increase clinical trials efficiency and effectiveness by sustaining the clinical trials workforce and providing more education and support initiatives to benefit cutting edge research now and in the future. “This will enhance medical research capability and capacity in NSW and ensure that NSW Health has a workforce with suitable education pathways, and those people can work in roles across the many research active health services across the state,” says Irish.

To sign up to the Clinical Register of Staff (CiTRoS), go to: www.medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/clinical-trial-management-system