Clinical trials are research studies in which people help test treatments or approaches to prevention or diagnosis of health conditions to evaluate whether they are safe and effective.

If you are interested in any clinical research opportunities, please contact the Research Team on 01752 817900.

Each trial is designed to keep risk to a minimum. We can only ask people to take part in a study who are suitable for the treatments.

Clinical trials are one stage of long and thorough health research. Trials are carried out in carefully planned phases, allowing health researchers to ask and answer questions in a way to provide reliable information in the best interests of the participants.

Trials are an important part of the process the NHS goes through in making decisions about which approaches to prevent, diagnose or treat conditions should be made available to the public.

Research study participants say benefits of taking part include:

• Learning more about their health condition and how best to manage it
• Feeling empowered
• Access to the very latest treatments
• Feeling good knowing helping others even if not going to necessarily reap the benefits directly themselves
• Satisfaction of contributing to medical advances
• Reassured that health care professionals are doing their best for their patients
• Reassured by closer monitoring of their health condition
• Research gives hope

The Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.

The Clinical Research Network (CRN) is part of the NIHR. They co-ordinate a national network which enables and embeds high quality research, helping to make people and the NHS better.

They achieve this by:

• Ensuring that as many people as possible across England have the opportunity to participate in research
• Providing researchers with the practical support they need to make clinical research studies happen in the NHS
• Ensuring efficient and effective delivery of high quality clinical research across the health community
• Attracting national and international clinical research investment
• Providing a coordinated response to national research priorities

Our clinical team meet every week and discuss research opportunities for patients so that all staff are ‘up to date’ on current studies.

Dr Lawrence Barnes, Practice Research Lead, says ‘Offering our patients the opportunity to benefit from participation in clinical research is embedded in our day to day services. It is a real team effort. The vast majority of people who take part in research tell us that they enjoy the experience and find it rewarding knowing they are helping improve treatments of the future.’

The Rame Group Practice has been conducting research studies for around 20 years and is committed to providing its research patients with a high standard of care and attention.

Current Studies

At Rame Group Practice we are currently taking part in a number of important research studies. Some of our past and present studies include:

• Diabetes
• Flu
• Arthritis
• Cardiovascular
• Recurrent Thrush
• Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
• Covid-19
• RSV
• HPV
• Blood pressure
• Shingles
• Urinary tract infections

We are a small team made up two investigators Dr Barnes and Dr Keast, three nurses Nickie Donlin, Marie Goodwin, Rachel Thurlow, Research assistant Helen Waterfield and Research Coordinator Hannah Kinsman.

If you are interested in taking part in one of our research studies, please contact the Research Team on 01752 817900 and we would be happy to talk to you. If you prefer, please mention it to a doctor or a nurse who will ask one of the team to contact you.

We would also like to add at the top of the page under clinical trials and research the following:

We are currently recruiting to studies relating to:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease and high cholesterol
• Shingles
• Urinary tract infection

Remember, it is OK to ASK about research.

To find out what other clinical research studies are running visit: www.nihr.ac.uk.

Please have a look at the research noticeboard at both Penntorr and Millbrook surgeries. We aim to advertise as many research studies as possible and the board will also keep you up to date with our news.

Our electronic noticeboards, at both surgeries, also have some research information so keep your eye on them while you are waiting for your appointment.