UK government sets out bold vision for the future of clinical research delivery

Patients, clinicians and researchers across the whole of the UK are set to benefit from the ambitious vision for the future of clinical research delivery in the UK as the government sets out to create more efficient research delivery, more diverse and accessible research, and to embed research in the NHS.

 The Department of Health and Social Care has laid out its ambition to help tackle healthcare challenges and improve health outcomes for people across the UK by prioritising clinical research.

 The document, Saving and improving lives: the future of UK clinical research delivery, published today and developed by the UK government and devolved administrations, sets out how we will deliver faster, more efficient and more innovative research – from the streamlining of costing, contracting and approvals processes to the HRA’s rapid ethics review pilot, which aims to halve the time to provide a final opinion for research applications.

 Using best practice, participating in research will become more accessible, increasing diversity and allowing more people across the whole of the UK to take part. Working with Centres of Excellence, such as the Centre for BME Health in Leicester, there will be more support for research in more diverse and under-served communities and innovative approaches like the University of Birmingham’s Dare2Think clinical trial, which has used remote eConsent and digital follow-up methods to recruit 3,000 patients across England with atrial fibrillation for their research.

 The NHS will be encouraged to put delivery of research at the heart of everything they do, making it an essential and rewarding part of effective patient care. This means building a culture across the NHS and all health and care settings that is positive about research, where all staff feel empowered and supported to take part in clinical research delivery as part of their job.

 The document describes five key themes which underpin their vision:

 Clinical research embedded in the NHS – to create a research-positive culture in which all health and care staff feel empowered to support and participate in clinical research as part of their job.

 Patient-centred research – to make access to and participation in research as easy as possible for everyone across the UK, including rural, diverse and under-served populations.

 Streamlined, efficient and innovative research – so the UK is seen as the best place in the world to conduct fast, efficient and cutting-edge clinical research.

 Research enabled by data and digital tools – to ensure the UK has the most advanced and data-enabled clinical research environment in the world, which capitalises on our unique data assets to improve the health and care of patients across the UK and beyond.

 A sustainable and supported research workforce – which offers rewarding opportunities and exciting careers for all healthcare and research staff of all professional backgrounds – across the length and breadth of commercial and non-commercial research.

 For more information, click here.