Developing SUNDIAL: Reflections on the SPCR Seedcorn Career Development Programme

In early 2025, I was proud to be awarded a NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) Seedcorn Career Development Award (CDA).  This award is designed to support capacity building for early‑career researchers and protect their time to develop NIHR grant ideas and applications. Having this time was invaluable in shaping my skills, enhancing my knowledge, and building connections. I was able to dedicate time to establish strong collaborations with multiple partners all of which informed and underpinned an NIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship application - the SUNDIAL project (SUpporting Neurodivergent people on DIAgnostic waiting Lists).

I used some of the time and funding to hold two advisory meetings with people who have lived experience of being neurodivergent or were waiting for an assessment. This helped to ensure my proposal was grounded in lived experiences and designed collaboratively. Both of the meetings were held online to promote inclusivity. We wanted a range of perspectives from throughout the midlands, and wider, so holding the meetings online would combat any travel restrictions. Hosting the meetings online also provided space for the members to attune their settings to their own comfortability and individual needs. For example, members could turn off their cameras, adjust lighting settings, adjust volume and remove themselves temporarily if need be.

• The first meeting (May 2025) centred on people’s experiences of seeking a diagnosis, their reasoning and expectations, the impact of long waiting lists on wellbeing and mental health and generating meaningful research ideas. The group was made up of eight people who had received a diagnosis of autism or ADHD, or both (formally and self-identify), as well as people who were waiting for an assessment. 
• The second meeting (November 2025) we presented the proposed SUNDIAL research project back to the group, inviting ideas, refinements, and ways the project could be strengthened form a lived experience perspective. This group was made up of six members which also all had lived experiences, either through a diagnosis of ADHD, Autism or both, as well as people waiting for an assessment.

Also, as a core part of the CDA programme involved developing a future funding application, these conversations offered guidance on how to develop the proposal, but also emotional insight into the day‑to‑day realities of waiting for a neurodivergent assessment. Alongside these group meetings, I also had one-to-one conversations with people with lived experience, which further shaped the project’s direction.

The CDA also afforded me time to establish connections with national and local networks. Nationally, I engaged with ADHD UK and the National Autistic Society, both of which provided their own perspectives on neurodivergent community needs and recognised the value and relevance of the emerging research idea

Locally, I developed relationships with a range of organisations including:

• Support Staffordshire
• Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trusts ADHD and Autism assessment team, talking therapies and the wider psychological services.
• Shropshire Councils Autism strategy team.
• Local Integrated Care Boards

I also connected with a wider community of neurodivergence researchers, creating opportunities for future collaboration and shared learning. With hopes to create a neurodivergence community of practice group where we can discuss ideas and research priorities in this area.

The CDA also enabled me to pursue targeted training that will directly support the next stages of the SUNDIAL project, as well as being transferable to wider research project.  This included:

• Programming training: Which enabled me to begin developing ideas for a SUNDIAL website or app, and to support social‑media‑based data collection.
• Behaviour Change Theory Training:  This deepened my understanding of how behaviour change interventions are developed, evaluated, and implemented.

I also been able to attend conferences. I have presented poster at the RCGP Faculty Research Conference in September 2025; this poster was a combination of work I did for my PhD alongside some of the overall themes which emerged from the PPIE groups.

Being able to attend these conferences has helped to enhance my networks and visibility as a developing researcher in this field, as well as be able in increase my knowledge and awareness of ongoing neurodivergent research within primary care.

The SPCR Seedcorn CDA programme has given me the space and confidence to build my networks, involve and learn from people with lived experience, and enhance my skills. All of which have resulted in a competitive proposal for an NIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship.

I have submitted my NIHR Fellowship application and now await the outcome.