Supporting patient care through vital research

As part of our plans to celebrate MY Research Week, our latest MY Role is from Jamie Matthews, who is a Research Quality Assurance Officer based in the Clinical Research and Innovation Building (CRIB) at Pinderfields.

What does your role involve?

I help make sure research is done properly. That means supporting teams with quality and compliance, carrying out audits and reviews, and helping colleagues navigate all the regulations that come with running research studies. A lot of my role is about problem-solving, building relationships, and helping teams find solutions. Ultimately, it's about supporting safe, high-quality research that benefits patients.

The best thing about the role is supporting teams and helping them do the best work possible. A lot of quality assurance happens behind the scenes, but it's rewarding knowing that what we do helps protect participants, supports high standards, and ultimately contributes to better patient care.

Is there an aspect of your work that makes you most proud?

I'm most proud of the relationships I've built with research teams and the improvements we've made together. Quality assurance can sometimes be seen as checking compliance, but for me it's about supporting people to do their best work. Knowing that I've helped strengthen research practices and protect participants while enabling good research to happen is something I'm really proud of.

How did you get into your role?

I started my NHS career in 2009 at Barnsley Hospital as a Night Clerk in ED, which was great fun and certainly kept me busy! One evening, a colleague mentioned there was a higher banded role going in Research and said they thought I'd be perfect for it.

To be honest, I didn't even know research was a career option. I genuinely thought research was all people in white coats working in laboratories!

As it turned out, they were right. I got the job in Research Governance, helping to set up research studies, and I quickly discovered a side of the NHS I knew very little about but really enjoyed. I spent the next 13 years at Barnsley, learning, developing, and building my career in research.

In October 2024, I moved to Mid Yorks to take on the role of Research Quality Assurance Officer and focus on quality within research. It was a big step, but one I've never regretted. I really enjoy working with teams to support high-quality research, and knowing that the work we do behind the scenes helps protect participants and ultimately improve patient care makes it incredibly rewarding. I haven't looked back since.

And a bit about you…

Outside of work, a lot of my time is spent with my family and in my role as a foster carer, which is something I'm incredibly passionate about. It can be challenging at times, but it's also one of the most rewarding things I do. I enjoy helping young people feel supported, settled, and able to reach their potential.

When I do get some downtime, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, getting away on holidays when I can, and making memories with those closest to me. After busy days at work and home, I also appreciate the simple things like gaming on my PlayStation, walking my 2 dogs and making the most of quality time together.