Building on pandemic research successes
The annual NNUH research report has been published, which gives an update on our progress with the 2020-2025 Research Strategy.
Our five year plan for research was published just before the Covid-19 pandemic, which dramatically changed research priorities across the globe.
2020 was the year of coronavirus with National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) prioritising urgent research during the pandemic and the majority of research staff being deployed to assist with Covid-19 studies or with supporting clinicians on the frontline.
Overall, research active Trusts in the Eastern region last year recruited 1 in 40 of the population into research with NNUH amongst the leading Trusts.
Recruitment onto NIHR Eastern portfolio studies in 2020/21 was the highest recorded and in response to the pandemic, NNUH delivered high level performance on the Novavax vaccine study, which was set up at unprecedented pace and scale and also on the RECOVERY and REMAP-CAP clinical trials.
During 2020/2021, NNUH opened 53 new research projects for recruitment of patients and 276 papers by our researchers were published in peer reviewed medical journals covering a wide range of specialities including oncology, gastroenterology, neonatal medicine, cardiovascular disease, radiology, diabetes and stroke.
Jenny Longmore, Director of Research Operations, said: “Clinical research has become a topic of public interest in a way no one could ever have been predicted prior to the pandemic. Building on the research successes and lessons learned during the Covid pandemic, NNUH can create an environment beneficial to high quality research and develop even closer links with new and existing commercial and academic partners.”
Our Trust has four key strategic goals for research:
- Embed a culture of research throughout NNUH creating an inspirational environment that is recognised nationally and internationally, which inspires future leaders of clinical research
- Consolidate and deepen the special partnership with the University of East Anglia and Quadram Institute Biosciences
- Develop sustainable strategic partnerships critical to the region and wider NHS
- Be recognised as a leading NHS Trust in applying research and adopting innovation to deliver the best patient care and to benefit the wider NHS
The annual research report can be viewed in full here