Top mental health trust in England for number of research studies

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust was the top mental health trust in the country for the number of open studies last year with 101 studies available for patients to participate in. This was up by 14 per cent from 89 studies the previous year. This is according to new figures from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

In addition, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust was the fourth mental health trust in the country for overall number of participants in studies last year with 2,375, which was up by 13 per cent from 2,097 last year.

A large proportion of research activity at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust takes place through the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), a partnership with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.

Dr Gill Dale, Director of Research Quality, and Head of the Joint Research & Development Office at SLaM and the IoPPN said: “It is fantastic to see the number of studies grow year on year and to be the top trust for research studies three years in a row. We want all service users at the Trust to be offered the opportunity to participate in research that is of interest to them.”

Both patients and healthy volunteers are encouraged to talk to their healthcare professionals about participating in clinical research, as the latest figures show that a growing number of NHS sites and general practices are offering opportunities to participate in research. 

Professor Sir Robert Lechler, Executive Director of King's Health Partners, said: “As an Academic Health Sciences Centre, our purpose is to translate cutting-edge research into excellent patient care. We know there is a clear correlation between the numbers of patients entering into trials and better clinical outcomes, so I am delighted to see that our trusts have maintained and improved their positions in the clinical research league table.”

In total, more than 725,000 participants across the country signed up for clinical research studies supported by the NIHR in 2017/18 - including studies sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and those funded by NIHR, charities or other non-commercial organisations which are delivered in the NHS. This is the highest number since records began in England and a significant increase of nearly 10 per cent from the previous year. Over the last five years, more than 3.2 million participants have taken part in studies supported by NIHR.

Dr Jonathan Sheffield OBE, Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) said: “By taking part in life sciences industry studies, patients are participating in new and innovative forms of treatment which will provide evidence for future improved care for all patients. The knowledge gained could provide the evidence to license new treatments in the NHS securing healthy lives for future generations.

“Partnerships between the NHS and the life sciences industry bring a range of benefits to the healthcare sector - giving trusts access to new treatments and funding for health research, while also boosting the wider economy each year through the development of cutting edge medical innovations.”

For more information on the 2017/2018 NIHR annual research statistics.


Tags: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust - Clinical disorders and health behaviours - Precision psychiatry - Informatics - Clinical and population informatics - Patient and Carer Involvement and Engagement - Novel Therapeutics - Eating Disorders & Obesity - Pain and Addictions -

By NIHR Maudsley BRC at 18 Jul 2018, 10:12 AM


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