Staithe Surgery is part of the Primary Care Research Network, therefore takes part in various clinical trials and studies.
A number of clinical practice staff have undertaken training (GCP) to ensure that they are qualified to deliver research within our Primary Care setting.
What is the Primary Care Research Network (PCRN)?
The Primary Care Research Network is part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network and is funded by the Department of Health.
The mission of the NIHR is to maintain a health research system in which the NHS supports outstanding individuals, working in world class facilities, conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients and the public.
The PCRN East of England (PCRN EoE) is one of a family of NIHR national research networks working together with the Comprehensive Local Research Networks (CLRN) to provide a wide range of support to the local research community.
Our practice participates in research and works closely with the PCRN EoE, creating more opportunities for more patients to be involved in research should they wish.
By building on and extending partnerships, with university academics and the NHS, research collaboration across the East of England is further strengthened.
The PCRN EoE also helps our practice by supporting us to recruit and take part in clinical studies through their locally based research nurses and network coordinators.
What Does the Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) do?
The Primary Care Research Network are dedicated to providing a world-class infrastructure to conduct clinical research in primary care settings – where the majority of patient / practitioner contacts take place. They work with a wide range of primary care practitioners, including GPs, nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists and health visitors, and support high quality research in areas for which primary care has particular responsibility.
These include disease prevention, health promotion, screening and early diagnosis, as well as the management of long-term conditions, such as arthritis and heart disease.
Why they do it
Clinical research is, and has always been, fundamental to the work of the NHS. Only by carrying out research into “what works” can they continually improve treatments for patients, and understand how to focus NHS resources where they will be most effective.
All the research that they support is driven by the priorities of the NHS and the Department of Health, and informed by the views of patients and their carers.
How They do it
They provide researchers with the practical support they need to make clinical studies happen in a primary care setting in the NHS, so that more research takes place, and more patients can take part.
Research can be presented in many different formats:
- Completing a questionnaire
- Requesting the use of your anonymised data
- Taking part in an interview
- Testing new treatments, therapies or devices
- Experiencing new combinations of treatments
Practice Set up
We have been accredited by RCGP as ‘Research Ready’ so we are able to participate in research studies that PCRN EoE offers.
Benefits of being research ready:
- Enables our practice to reflect on our ability and capacity to conduct high quality research
- Provides assurance for study sponsors, governance staff and patients that our practice is up-to-date and compliant with national standards for NHS research
- Provides the practice of awareness of how it can minimise any potential risks for our practice, practice staff and study participants
- Access to Research Ready file which provides a useful reference for the research team and also for the induction and training of new staff in our practice who will be participating in its research activities
- Opportunities to be involved in a wider range of research studies
Join Dementia Research
Join Dementia Research is a national service that makes it easy for anyone to take part in vital dementia research studies. People with dementia or memory problems, their carers and anyone who is interested can sign up.
Only through research will we find new and better ways to prevent, treat, care for and one day beat dementia. Simple register your details and a researcher will be in touch when an appropriate study becomes available. You do not have to take part in any particular studies. It is always your choice whether or not to take part.
Sign up today online at www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk or call Alzheimer’s Research UK on 0300 111 5111, or the Alzheimer’s Society on 0300 222 1122.
