New league table reveals research top performers in ambulance trusts
Thursday, 26 July, 2012
A new league table has been published showing the number of research studies undertaken by Ambulance Trusts in England, and therefore the extent to which these Trusts are delivering on the NHS Constitution pledge to promote research participation opportunities to patients.
Historically, Ambulance Trusts have undertaken very few clinical research studies, but the league table suggests that this is starting to change.
North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust tops the list as the Trust that undertook the most studies last year, whilst East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust recruited the most patients into studies, with nearly 3,000 patients taking part in research.
The league table draws on data from the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network - the research delivery arm of the NHS. The Clinical Research Network provides specialist research nurses and resources to enable NHS Trusts to deliver clinical research opportunities for patients, and supports some 3,500 active studies in the NHS each year across all therapy areas.
Commenting on the league table's publication, Dr Jonathan Sheffield, CEO of the Clinical Research Network, said,
"We know from recent consumer polls that patients want to see a research-active NHS, and they want the chance to get involved in studies. In publishing this league table, we are providing researchers, healthcare professionals and the public with an opportunity to reflect on how well different Trusts are responding to that patient expectation - and the requirements of the NHS Constitution with regard to research."
Commenting on the league table results, Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Health, said:
"This data from the NIHR Clinical Research Network is encouraging and shows us that high quality research is happening but we need to keep pushing for research to have the profile it deserves with both doctors and their patients."
To view the research activity league table in full visit:
www.crncc.nihr.ac.uk/nhs-performance
