100% of NHS Trusts now research active

A league table, published today by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN), has shown that 100% of NHS trusts in England are offering patients the chance to participate in clinical research.

The table details the types of research happening across NHS Trusts. It shows industry collaboration is high, with 36% of studies consisting of commercial contracts. This potentially enables the NHS to deliver dependable clinical research, speeding up the development and availability of new treatments, therapies and diagnostics.  

There’s been a 60% increase in research activity across NHS trusts, showing that NHS organisations of all types and sizes are conducting research, offering more patients the chance to take part in innovative research studies.  

The table is topped by Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for the highest number of research studies. This marks the fifth year in a row that the Trust has topped the table.

At the top of table for commercial studies delivered is Barts Health NHS Trusts which alongside Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, also had the biggest increase in studies delivered from last year.

Dr Jonathan Sheffield, chief executive officer of the NIHR CRN said:

“This year’s league table results highlight for the first time the growing importance of commercial research for the NHS in England. The life science industry is vital to enable the NHS to continue to deliver first class clinical research. Commercial involvement in clinical research speeds up the development and availability of new treatments, therapies and diagnostics for NHS patients. The UK is a destination of choice with 35,000 participants recruited to studies sponsored by the life sciences industry in England last year.

Our data shows there is a growing commitment to research from both the NHS and patients. Special congratulations go to Newcastle NHS Foundation Trust for ensuring that research is consistently embedded as part of everyday patient care, and also to Barts Health NHS Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for the largest increase in research studies over the past year.”

Professor Nick Lemoine, director of Research & Development for Cancer & Surgery at Barts Health NHS Trust, said of the league table results:

“It is important for us as a trust to be involved in clinical research - it’s good for the organisation, it’s good for the clinical teams and it’s good for the patients. We regard clinical research as part of the care pathway for every patient we see. We’re absolutely determined to meet the goal of the Clinical Research Network to give every patient the opportunity, where possible to participate in clinical research.”