New South West partnership opens doors for health research

Eight NHS partners have joined forces to make it easier and faster for people to take part in cutting-edge health research in the South West.

The first of its kind in the region, the South West Commercial Research Group (SWCRG) brings together expertise from across the NHS, including GP practices, mental health services, and acute and community care.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is part of this innovative new network helping local communities take part in health research.

Professor Helen Quinn, Research and Development Director at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said

“Patients treated in NHS organisations where research takes place are known to have better health outcomes, and commercial research increases opportunities to reinvest in local NHS services while accelerating new treatments and therapies into routine care.

Combining our experience and resources across NHS organisations is a powerful way to increase our research capacity. This means we are able to open more research studies that matter most to our local population. This will greatly benefit our region, and I’m excited to see this develop in the coming years.”

Health research helps doctors find new and better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat illness. Volunteers may test new medicines, devices, or ways of delivering care in a safe and patient focussed environment. Every study is carefully reviewed to ensure it is safe, ethical, and makes a real difference.

Dr Greg Davies, GP Partner at Amicus Health, said:

"For primary care, the SWCRG is transformative. It brings together the right people, the right support, and a shared ambition to grow commercial research across the region. It opens doors to innovative studies that simply wouldn’t reach our patients otherwise.”

Working closely with regional partners, the life science sector, and the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), the SWCRG is supported by funding provided by the South West Peninsula Regional Research Delivery Network.

Professor Fergus Caskey, Director of Research & Development at North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Collaboration within our South West geography is crucial if we are to learn from each other, build strong links with industry partners, and create a thriving environment that is able to offer research participation to people whatever their background, whether they live in the cities, in the countryside, or on the coast.”

Whether you are receiving care for a medical condition or are a healthy volunteer, you may be eligible to take part in a research study. To discover how you can get involved, visit the website: https://www.swcommercialresearch.nhs.uk/