Research is on the rise for Norfolk

Clinical research is on the rise in the NHS and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) is helping to spearhead the trend – according to a new league table published today.

Clinical research is a vital part of the work of the NHS, and provides evidence about “what works” so that treatments for patients can be improved. In addition, there is some research evidence to show that patients do better in hospitals and surgeries that do research – even if they don’t actually take part in a study themselves.

The new league table is published by the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network (the research delivery arm of the NHS). It shows the number of studies done by each NHS Trust in 2012 to 2013, and the number of patients who volunteered to take part in clinical research.

Over half of the 390 NHS Trusts across the country increased the number of clinical research studies done in their hospital last year, contributing to the drive for better treatments for all NHS patients. At the NNUH we have increased our number of studies from 158 in 2011 to 2012 to 182 in 2012 to 2013.

The league table has also revealed that NNUH is the top trust in England within the top large acute Trust category, for the number of clinical research studies it conducted last year.

Dr Jonathan Sheffield is the chief executive of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network. Commenting on the league table he said:

“Patients always tell us how important it is for the NHS to take part in clinical research. In fact, according to our latest consumer poll, 79 per cent of people think it is important for the NHS to carry out clinical research – whilst less than three per cent think it is unimportant. I would like to congratulate the Trusts in Norfolk’s for increasing the number of studies they do locally, and helping to bring research opportunities to patients.”

“I would also like to say a big thank you to all the patients who took part in clinical research studies in Trusts across the East of England region. Without their help we could not keep improving care, which is what we all want to do.”

The clinical research league table is available at: www.crncc.nihr.ac.uk/nhs-performance.

Patients and carers who want to find out more about clinical research can visit: www.nhsresearch.org