Some of the research team members at Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s Clinical Research Centre
A health trust is proud to be doing its bit to offer patients the opportunity to take part in research trials in the North West.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is among the six top recruiters in the region.
Michelle Stephens, Head of Research and Development for the Trust, said: “The Trust is highly research active and we know that the quality of care is higher than in those that are not actively promoting and conducting research trials.
“Over the years we have developed more research in the Trust and strive to open new studies each year across all of our clinical specialisms.
“By offering research we are at the forefront of learning new techniques and treatments which will be offered to future patients.
“We would like to thank all of our patients – more than 12,500 since 2008 – who have joined one of our many studies.”
Michelle Stephens
NHS organisations in the North West showing the most significant increase in the number of recruiting research studies being undertaken during 2015 and 2016 also include Five Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Blackpool CCG. The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust recruited patients to the highest number of studies.
A league table published by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) shows that 100 per cent of UK Trusts are participating in research and NHS Trusts in the North West are supporting the continued growth of research across the region.
The league table also shows that the North West Coast has a total of 1,381 studies for 2015/16. These studies led to more than 30,000 patients taking part in research studies.
A total of 605,000 people across England participated in research in the NHS last year.
Promoting, conducting and using clinical research to improve treatments for patients is part of the NHS England Constitution.
The NHS Research Activity League Table provides a picture of how much clinical research is happening, where it is taking place, what types of Trusts are involved and how many patients are participating in research.
Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR CRN, Dr Jonathan Sheffield, said: “This year’s NIHR league table shows every NHS Trust in England is now research active and that more than 60% (53% for CCGs) increased their research activity last year.
“Evidence clearly shows that research active Trusts have better patient outcomes, with 605,000 people across England participating in research in the NHS in last year. The outlook is very encouraging.
“The league table results are a great achievement for all involved and highlight the growing commitment to research from the NHS and patients.”
Jacqueline Pirmohamed, Chief Operating Officer of the CRN North West Coast, added: “I would like to say thank you to all of our NHS partner organisations who support clinical research across the region and, more importantly, thank you to the thousands of participants in the region who take part in clinical research studies every year.
“Clinical research is undertaken to make patients and the NHS better so we need everyone’s continued support, commitment and participation in the years to come to keep the momentum going and to improve health care in the North West.”
Notes to Editors
The NIHR League Table can be accessed from the NIHR website: www.nihr.ac.uk/leaguetable
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR is the research arm of the NHS. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible