CCRA Affiliate Membership is Now Live and Available to our Contractors and Freelancers
The Clinical and Contract Research Association have recently announced the launch of their Affiliate Membership. The membership is aimed at freelancers and contract workers within the clinical research industry. By being part of a trade organisation they will have a voice to aid in shaping the future of the industry whilst widening the recognition of their profession.
The CCRA set up the membership after recognising that shortage in particular skills is the biggest threat to the clinical trials industry within the UK. To combat this, CCRA have been instrumental in developing and releasing the CRA Gold Standard from Cogent Skills, the UK’s strategic body for skills based within the science industries, and is currently developing the accredited Trainer Standard. This will then eventually have chartered status for a formal recognition of the profession.
Clinical Professionals are currently an associate member with the CCRA, meaning that we have direct input on events, meetings and roundtables that cover a variety of different topics all relating to clinical trials.
As a result of our partnership with the CCRA, the affiliate membership is now accessible to our freelance candidates, and all of our contractors, who are sent through to our clients via our hosted employment scheme.
The hosted employment scheme was created as a result of HMRC clamping down contract workers who evade paying PAYE/NIC. Which means all recruitment agencies must now report all details of any contract worker who is not being paid through payroll.
However, our scheme provides a solution, where contract workers are employed through Clinical Professionals yet still working in “contract” roles for our clients. This offers greater stability and security, whilst giving the added benefit of administrative support and a benefits package similar to those gained from a permanent role which include:
- Pension
- Training Bursary
- Healthcare
- Denplan
- Income Protection
- Life Assurance
- Paid Holiday
- Maternity/paternity and sick pay
- Mentoring and professional development guidance
By having access to this CCRA affiliate membership, our contractors also gain added benefits such as:
Discounted Professional Indemnity Insurance – Miller Insurance Services, a leading insurance broker and one of our founding members with particular expertise in the area of clinical trials insurance, offers our Affiliate members heavily discounted professional indemnity (errors and omissions) and public liability insurance.
Cost Effective Private Insurance – Members and their families will have exclusive access to private insurance through HMCA. Insurances are not limited to healthcare (including dental plan) but include travel, income protection and personal accident.
Discounted Senior Associate Membership to the Royal Society of Medicine – We have negotiated a special rate for the annual fee and have also waived the joining charge. The RSM has many extra benefits such as access to RSM meetings, videos and extra educational materials.
Discounted Rates for CCRA Seminars, Events and Training Courses – Our seminars and training events also attract CPD accreditation.
Reduced Rates and Assistance for Attendance at Meeting and Exhibitions Across the UK and Abroad
Numerous Networking Opportunities – CCRA organises networking events in the UK and abroad, that range from targeted seminars, training presentations, informal networking nights to an annual summer reception located at the Terrace of the House of Lords and Ambassadorial receptions abroad.
Discounts on Publications – such as the recently published Oxford Handbook of Clinical and Healthcare Research edited by Sumantra Ray, Sue Fitzpatrick, Rajna Golubic and Susan Fisher
Along with all these benefits all members will be listed on the CCRA website within an affiliate group register, containing contact details and areas of specialisation.
If you would like to know more about the CCRA affiliate membership, please contact mail@ccra.org.uk or visit the website here.
Clinical Professionals is Europe’s leading Life Sciences staffing business that place exceptional candidates in the globes leading pharma, biotech and med tech organisations and working at close hand with the many emerging SME Life Sciences companies in the UK and Europe.
The Clinical Professionals Group strive to provide candidates and clients alike with an excellent, specialist approach to their life sciences job search and staffing needs whilst constantly aiming to improve the job search experience. Along with many other services.
If would like to contact us for any of your recruiting/career needs, please contact us on 0118 959 4990 or email apply@clinicalprofessionals.co.uk