Table 6 Themes identified from free-text comments
Theme | Example quotes |
|---|---|
Lack of recognition, understanding and value of the role of trial manager | “Trial managers are seen as less important than academics in the university setting”. |
“I don’t think trial management is seen as a professional career in the academic community”. | |
“There is a significant problem with recognising the contribution a trial manager makes to the team”. | |
“I was once called a glorified administrator by an academic”. | |
Fixed/short-term contracts and funding | “Short-term funding is the key barrier to career development”. |
“Although I work in a large registered CTU, I do not feel that the training is given to support the move to the next level within the unit”. | |
Lack of training and clear career pathway | “There is no guidance out there about what training would be best for career progression”. |
“The role feels very much like a dead-end job with no official training or career pathway”. | |
“I would like to be able to send the staff on more external development opportunities, but it is difficult to see where that funding would come from”. | |
Disparity between organisations | “Having worked on trials in different organisations and worked with colleagues who have also worked on trials in other trials units I think there are discrepancies across the country in terms of grading of trial manager and senior trial manager positions”. |
“Huge disparity between organisations on how the role is treated and valued”. | |
“Lack of consistency between units - the name of roles is not consistent”. | |
Lack of time and capacity to focus on career development | “Your whole time is taken up with the demanding work of keeping your trial running”. |
“I think time and money are the biggest factors affecting career development”. | |
“There is lack of funding to provide time to develop outside the immediate delivery of the trial”. |