News stories

Congratulations to Caroline Miller, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, who has been selected to join Cohort 4 of the NIHR Senior Research Leader (SRL) Programme for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (AHPs). 

The three-year programme supports senior nurses, midwives and AHPs to develop their research leadership skills and strengthen research capacity and capability within their organisations and beyond. 

Caroline was one of 14 allied health professionals selected nationally this year and will spend two days a week on the programme over the next three years. 

Caroline said: “I’m really excited to be part of this programme and to have dedicated time to focus on supporting and developing allied health professional research capacity. This is something I’m really passionate about, and I’m looking forward to making a meaningful difference.” 

Caroline started at Trust in 1996 as a Band 5 physiotherapist and over the years specialised in upper limb. She now works in the shoulder and elbow clinic at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), where she runs clinics for patients recovering from surgery and trauma.

She also works in a nerve injury clinic, supporting people who have often experienced life-changing injuries, typically following major trauma or road traffic accidents.

Alongside her clinical work, Caroline has completed a PhD and is currently undertaking a postdoctoral research fellowship. As part of this, she is developing a new digital application to support patients and therapists in rehabilitation following major trauma, particularly nerve injuries. 

Through the SRL programme, she aims to increase research opportunities for underrepresented AHP groups, support data-driven research skills, and strengthen clinical academic career pathways across AHP professions. 

Clare Hassan, Director of AHPs at QEHB, said: “This is a well-deserved achievement for Caroline. She is a passionate advocate for research in allied health professions, and we are proud to see her take this next step in her leadership journey. We look forward to seeing the impact she will make over the coming years.”