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December 2014
From the Clinical Research Network: South West Peninsula
Tell your research story by emailing [email protected]
CRN: SWP Twitter
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Monthly e-news for the research community and
frontline research staff in the South West
Patient Alistair Taylor on
why clinical trials should be
offered to all
Support for researchers in
the South West
Research letters go on tour!
Welcome to the second
issue of the South West
Clinical Research News.
We’ve had some excellent
feedback as a result of the
first publication and there
is a real appetite for
sharing the region’s
research stories.
There have been some really
exciting announcements and
developments about the
South West’s research work
which have made headlines
over the past month. Just a
few of these are featured later
in this publication.
This issue also sees the
launch of our CRN: SWP
year-long social media
campaign to help raise
awareness of research
across the region. Our 3D
research letters, featured on
the front page of this issue
with the CRN:SWP Core
Team, will be touring the
region over the next 12
months. We hope to
photograph as many
research-active teams,
clinicians and academics as
possible so that we can Tweet
the pictures through our fast-
growing Twitter account,
which has accrued over 420
followers in just 3 months.
Finally, as we all gear up for
the festive season, this is a
bumper issue of the SW
Clinical Research News,
which will take us through to
February 2015, giving us all
plenty of time to gather good
news stories for the next
issue.
Please continue to submit
your stories to
[email protected] and I
wish you all a happy
Christmas and New Year.
Thank you
Helen Quinn
Chief Operating Officer for
CRN: SWP
Season’s greetings!
Research-active
patient Alistair
Taylor tells his
story
The RDS SW and
PenCTU highlight
the support on
offer
RD&E celebrate
research-active
staff at first ever
symposium
South West unites
for PCPIE event
Inside this issue
www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula
Clinical trials should be offered to all For over 40 years Alistair
Taylor has been involved in
clinical research – an issue
he feels is so important he
has dedicated much of his
life to it and he firmly
believes everyone needs to
be offered the chance to
take part in research.
“It is so important for people to
get involved in research. The
main benefit of taking part is
the opportunity to contribute to
something which may help
others.” explains Alistair. “If
people don’t take part in
research then we can’t
improve treatments for future
generations.”
Alistair, 64, was a
research manager
for Bath Royal United
Hospital until just a
few years ago when
he suffered a stroke
which meant he took
early retirement. But
he did not hang up his
research hat! He has since
been involved in two clinical
trials investigating the effects
of a stroke.
One of these trials, known as
PLORAS, is being run by the
Institute of Neurology at
University College London and
is investigating links between
language difficulties with
“I feel really
strongly about
getting the
research
message out
to everyday
people on the
street.”
“People
should be
given the
choice about
whether
they want to
take part in
research. ”
changes in the brain
structure following a stroke.
Alistair says: “Taking part in
research has been good. It’s
a natural curiosity
and a life-long
interest. I’ve been
on both sides of
the clinical trials
fence because of
the career I
chose in
research but also
because I have
taken part in
studies.”
Alistair’s interest in research
began in London when he
got the job of lab technician
for the Institute of Child
Health in 1971. He worked
there for 23 years, during
which time he became a
Research Associate and studied for his Degree and
PhD. He went on to work in
Oxford, Bristol and
Dorchester, and ended his
career after 10 years at Bath
Royal United Hospital as
research manager following a
stroke. He now lives in
Dowlish Wake in Somerset
where he vows to continue
his involvement in research
by taking part in clinical trials.
He says: “The NHS and all
the professionals involved
need to ensure that patients
get the chance to decide for
themselves about whether
they want to take part in a
clinical trial – no matter what
the diagnosis or condition.
People should hear all the
possible treatments open to
them, including new and
experimental ones, and be
able to make the choice for
themselves.”
Alistair is a lay advisor for the
research committee of
Somerset Partnership NHS
Foundation Trust and the
CRN: SWP. He says:
“Patients are far more likely to
get to hear about trials…but it
is vital that healthy people
also take part…Getting that
message out to the general
public is crucial and that’s
what I want to help to do for
the benefit of the NHS and
future generations.”
www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula
Support on your research
“Insert pic of team”
often access the RDS team first
and Andy refers them to us here
in the CTU once grant
applications are underway.”
continues Jane.
Research Design Service
South West (RDS SW)
The RDS SW provides help for
people preparing research
proposals for submission to
open, national, peer-reviewed
funding competitions for applied
health or social care research. It
is funded by the National
Institute for Health Research
(NIHR) and is one of 9 offices to
make up the design service in
the South West, which in-turn
joins other regional offices to
form the national RDS.
Andy explains: “We offer advice
to NHS researchers, and others
working in partnership with the NHS, to develop funding
applications. We give priority
to researchers applying to
NIHR funding streams, as we
are an NIHR funded body.
This means we are able to
offer our services for free. If
we do not think something is
suitable for an NIHR
application we will, of course,
point researchers in the right
direction for alternative funding
sources.”
“Advice and support is best
provided face-to-face so the
team is happy to meet to talk
about research ideas. Some
researchers want an RDS
consultant to become a full
collaborator in their research,
which means getting involved
in drafting sections of a
proposal, but that is not
always necessary. We are
flexible and responsive to the
needs of each researcher.”
The road to developing a
research study can appear
long and daunting. Here Jane
Vickery, Senior Trial Manager
at the Peninsula Clinical
Trials Unit (CTU) and Andy
Barton, Consultant for the
Research Design Service in
the South West (RDS SW)
explain the incredible
support available to
clinicians and academics in
the region embarking on a
research journey.
“For many researchers the
local RDS and CTU teams
are regular stops on their
travels, but those
new to research may not
fully understand the services
available to support them.
We felt it was important to
describe to the region’s
research community how
we can help, how to
access our services and to
give people just a glimpse
of some of the studies we will
be supporting.” explains
Jane.
“People, their ideas and their
ways of working are very
different and that means there
isn’t a set formula to how
research studies progress.
However, there is a general
pattern of how we become
involved. We find clinicians
Part of the PenCTU Team
Sue & Andy (RDS)
www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula
journey in the South West
“People
should be
given the
choice about
whether
they want to
take part in
research. ”
funding to completion. We work
full-time on research studies and
assign trial managers to ensure
that clinicians have dedicated
points of contact for their work.”
says Jane.
PenCTU is part of Plymouth
University and is one of the
country’s 45 UK Clinical
Research Collaboration
(UKCRC) registered CTUs – the
next nearest is in Bristol. It aims
to be self-funding through
research grants income, with
some help from NIHR CTU
support funding.
Jane continues: “Researchers
planning new studies are asked
to complete the PenCTU Support
Request Form outlining the
nature of their project and their
requirements at least 6 weeks
before any funding applications
are submitted. We contact the
researcher to talk through the
support required before providing
an estimate for our services.”
“What we provide is essentially
project management services,
helping to deliver a study from
start to finish. We have a
considerable depth of
knowledge and experience in
the team through years of
supporting studies in the
region to achieve their
goals.” concludes Jane.
The team is based at the
Plymouth Science Park and
has been in operation formally
as a CTU since 2007. Jane
sums up by saying: “We’ve
been involved in some
incredibly exciting trials over
the years, supporting very
driven and inspirational people
to try to make a difference to
modern healthcare.”
Two studies being supported
in 2015
e-coachER: A multi-centred
RCT of an augmented exercise
referral scheme using web-
based behavioural support in
individuals with metabolic,
musculo-skeletal and mental
health conditions - Prof Adrian
Taylor
ENRICH: Randomised, Phase II
open label study of
Rituximab/Ibritinib vs
Rituximab/Chemo in older
patients with mantle cell
lymphoma – Prof Simon Rule
Signposting
RDS SW - 01823 342792
PenCTU - 01752 439831
The RDS SW is made up of a
team of people based in
universities and the NHS across
the region, able to advise and
provide practical support when
developing grant applications.
Andy continues: “We often advise
people to involve collaborators,
for example, patients, other
clinicians or methodologists with
specific expertise. We work very
closely with the CTU and CRN:
SWP, plus others such as the
Centre for Biostatistics. Together
we all work as a team around the
researcher to ensure we help
bring someone’s ideas to life with
our varying expertise.”
Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit
(PenCTU)
Jane, who was previously a
research nurse and is now a
Senior Trial Manager in PenCTU,
goes on to explain the specific
role of her team. She says: “We
help to develop, set up and
manage single and multi-centre
clinical trials, and other well-
designed studies, across the
South West and beyond.
“Our team is made up of a range
of highly skilled and experienced
people including former nurses,
science majors, psychologists, IT
programmers and even an
engineer. We use our collective
expertise to support researchers
to manage a trial from the point of
Celebrating research-
active staff at the RD&E
Staff at the RD&E
celebrated the
collaborative work
of research and
clinical staff at a
Clinical Trials
Symposium.
The event saw
around 70 members
of staff involved in
clinical research
from across the Trust gather to get an update about clinical trials.
It included talks from the RD&E’s Assistant Director of Research
and Development, Dr Michael Gibbons and Helen Quinn, Chief
Operating Officer for the CRN: SWP. Delegates enjoyed a plenary
presentation on ‘Trial and Terror: taking the fear out of public
involvement in research’ from Simon Denegri, NIHR National
Director for Public Participation and Engagement in Research.
The symposium was wrapped up
with the Clinical Research Team
Award presentations. There were
16 entries from research teams
across the Trust. The Emergency
Department Research Team
claimed first prize for their
demonstration of truly embedding research within the
clinical service at every level and were presented with
their award by R&D Directorate Manager Chris Gardner.
STOPCUTS and the Stroke Team were awarded joint
runner up.
Lead Research Practitioner, Leigh Boxall, said: “The clinical trials
team do a fantastic job at ensuring we offer patients at the RD&E
the opportunity to take part in research. We anticipate that over
3,500 patients will take part in new research with us during
2014/15. The Clinical Trial Team Awards has allowed us to reflect
on and celebrate the achievements of the team over the last
year.”
IT Helpdesk for CRN
systems now live
Any issues with national
CRN systems such as The
Hub, CSP or Edge can now
be managed by reporting
them online.
Find out more here.
New and improved EOIs
The first EOI e-news was
issued last month and the
next issue is due again
shortly. Please feedback on
the new process to [email protected]
DRIVE
Project
The
‘DRIVE’
project
is a
regional
initiative between CRN:
SWP and SW Academic
Health Science Network to
find and reduce variations
to the way
research is
delivered
across the
South
West.
The
update for
December
2014 is out
now and includes
a copy of the survey results
following the regional
questionnaire sent to R&D
and research teams.
Click here to view.
Local news
The winning ED Team
The Stroke Team
www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula
Let’s Talk diabetes! Diabetes research
featured prominently
at a ‘Let’s Talk’ event at
the Royal Cornwall
Hospital in Truro last
month. It was the first in
a series of new
quarterly inspiration and
innovation evenings for
the public to be held by
the Trust.
The event took place at the Diabetes and Endocrine Centre on
Thursday 13 November (the evening before World Diabetes Day) and
included presentations from specialist teams on a range of different
topics associated with diabetes.
It was an opportunity for patients, their families and carers, or members
of the public interested in diabetes to go along and find out more about
the subject and some of the developments in treatment and care, which
has improved considerably in recent years.
Dr Browne gave a short presentation on some of the new medications
and developments expected in the not too distant future and the
research team presented some of the innovative trials currently taking
place.
A research stand by Helen Chenoweth and her team displaying current
studies proved popular, along with Helen’s presentation to around 40
members of the public about the current portfolio and how to get
involved in research locally.
The evening resulted in an uptake to getting involved in the DARE
(Diabetes Alliance for Research in England) study.
CRN: SWP Cancer Research Symposium
‘From Clinical Trials to Clinical Practice’
Friday 15 May 2015
Gipsy Hill Hotel in Exeter
All day event including a poster display
Register by email to [email protected]
Please are limited and awarded on a first come, first served basis.
Cornwall Research Forum
Thursday 9 April 2015
Knowledge Spa in Truro
Great chance to network with researchers,
pharmaceutical company reps as well as NIHR
colleagues.
To book a place email [email protected]
Patients embrace
research at Somerset
bowel cancer event Jo Taylor and Ana Juett
of the CRN:SWP team
spoke at the annual
Somerset Bowel Cancer
Support Group on 18
October in Taunton.
The importance of
research was discussed
with an attendance of
over 100 patients,
friends and family, with
attendees queuing up
after the presentations
had finished to find out
how they can get
involved and contribute
to research.
Get the public
INVOLVEd using
social media! The NIHR has released
helpful new INVOLVE
guidance for using social
media to get the public
engaged with research:
• INVOLVE social
media guidance
• 9 examples of public
involvement using
social media
Local news continued…
Uniting for PCPIE Dedicated patients and carers came together to meet
with four NIHR organisations supporting the
development and delivery of research
across the South West to talk about
the opportunities to get involved.
The event dedicated to patient,
carer and public involvement and
engagement (PCPIE) was extremely
well attended, attracting 30 members
of the public to Buckerell Lodge in Exeter in September.
Many of the people attending had already been active
lay members in clinical research and had helped to
shape PCPIE in the region to date.
Guests heard talks and presentations from Andy
Gibson representing PenCLAHRC (Collaboration
for Leadership in Applied Health Research
and Care) and the AHSN (Academic Health
Science Network), Julie Hapeshi from the
RDS SW (Research Design Service
South West), Dr. Gillian Baker (Exeter
Clinical Research Facility) and Pauline
McGlone and Ana Juett for the CRN: SWP
(Clinical Research Network: South West
Peninsula).
Presenters outlined the many practical ways lay
members are able to actively influence research and
provide an opportunity for them to help develop this
involvement further. Activities on offer covered the
whole of the research process and ranged from the
development of research questions through protocol
design, to the delivery of studies - with sign up to study
review, mentoring and raising awareness among many
of the activities supported.
A key message from the day was that patients and
carers in the South West not only value the research
taking place, but want to be involved in its development
and delivery. The CRN: SWP holds an extensive list of
lay members interested in becoming involved
in research. To access this service, contact Ana
Juett, PCPIE Officer.
Plymouth R&D have moved!
The Plymouth R&D Team has moved to
new offices. The new address and
central contact numbers are below,
although individual contact numbers
have remained the same.
Research Office, Level 2, MSCP
Bircham Park Offices, Morlaix
Drive, Plymouth, PL6 8BQ
Tel: 01752 432842
Fax: 01752 430919
New Midwife champion
The CRN: SWP is delighted to have
recently appointed Heidi Hollands from
Plymouth as a new Midwife champion
for the South West. Heidi has a wealth
of experience and will help us to drive
forward reproductive
research in the future
across the region.
Launch of research
social media campaign
To help raise awareness
about research across
the South West, the
CRN: SWP has launched a
Twitter campaign involving 3D letters
spelling out the word ‘research’ .
The research letters will tour the region
with members of CRN: SWP staff, who
will aim to snap them with as many
research teams, clinicians and
academics as possible over the next
year. Each picture will be Tweeted with
the hashtag #research. Follow the
campaign @NIHRCRN_SWPen
www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula
National round up Join Dementia Research
(JDR) latest
Join Dementia Research (JDR) aims to improve dementia care by
increasing the number of people getting involved in dementia
research and increasing the co-ordination, speed and efficiency
of the CRN.
People of any health and age are welcome to sign up. The South
West currently has 39 volunteers signed up. Join the fight against
dementia? Sign yourself up today!
Visit the JDR website at www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk
International Clinical Researcher of the Year
Awards open for entries
Are you a research team that stands out above all others? Does
your site excel in research standards?
PharmaTimes International Clinical Researcher of the Year
Competition 2015 is now open for entries. The NIHR/ABPI jointly
sponsor the award category of NHS Clinical Research Site of the
year (NHS entries from the UK only).
The NIHR Clinical Research Network’s life-sciences industry
team is encouraging researchers and teams from across the
Network to enter this year’s competition.
To enter there are three steps to take:
1. Complete a multiple choice questionnaire
2. Successful entrants respond to a category-specific challenge,
prepared by an executive steering Committee
3. The best candidates for each category are then invited to the
finals, where they present to a panel of judges
Hundreds of entries from around the world were received for the
awards in 2014 showcasing the very best in clinical talent.
For more information and guidance on how to enter visit here.
NIHR Research and Opportunities November 2014 Click here for research funding opportunities from the NIHR.
CRN Study Support Service
programme update
Features updates on the Non-
commercial Feasibility project
and the Oversight of Follow-up
project. Read the full story
NIHR CRN Performance
Management and Reporting
Framework 2014-15
The NIHR CRN Performance
Management and Reporting
Framework 2014-15 has now
been finalised. Read the full
story
New network aims to bring
research to a pharmacy near
you
The CRN, in partnership with
the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society and the National
Pharmacy Clinical Trials
Advisory Group, has launched a
brand new online resource
supporting a new network for
healthcare professionals
involved in research and
pharmacy. Find out more
Updated guidance for the
management of studies
involving more than one
specialty
An update to the CRN Portfolio
policy guidance on the
management of
studies which
involve more
than one
CRN
Specialty.
Find out more
Re-ASSURE-ing recruitment! Two research nurses in Plymouth and Exeter are ensuring success in the ‘ASSURE’ MS study which opened in August this year.
In just two months both research nurses had exceeded their recruitment targets – Marie Roy based at PHNT recruited 16 patients against a target of 15 and Sarah Irvine at the RD&E recruited 20 patients against a target of 15.
The Phase 4 study is looking at the ‘Effect of Aspirin on Flushing in Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF)-Treated Participants With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis’.
Great achievement by two fantastic research nurses!
I BELIEVE Plymouth recruited first global patient! Congratulations to Professor Bob Freeman, Heidi Hollands and the Plymouth team for recruiting the first global patient to the BELIEVE commercial study. The commercial sponsor was so impressed, in fact, that they have invited more sites from the CRN to join the study. Deadline for EOIs is 19 December! It is categorised as a renal study, but the recruitment and much of the frontline tasks are completed within reproductive health. RENA3767 is a multi-centred, non-interventional Post Authorisation Study in urology, which opened on the Portfolio in late November. For details contact Julie Cunningham, RDM.
www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula
In the news
World first for
Plymouth researchers
who find potential to
reverse effects of
Parkinson's This story featured in
many publications
including the region’s
Western Morning News.
The research team is led
by Dr Kim Tieu from
Plymouth University
Peninsula Schools of
Medicine and Dentistry.
Francis from Yeovil
District Hospital has co-
authored the report
‘Quality of reporting on
patient and public
involvement within
surgical research: A
systematic review’
which has been
published.
Heather Tinkler It was fame for Somerset
Partnership’s Clinical
Studies Officer, Heather
Tinkler, who
featured in the careers
section of the British
Psychological
Society Magazine
last month. Well
done Heather!
.
Research in the news Research has been a
hot topic throughout
November and
December with some
significant local
announcements having
been made. Here are
just some of the
research stories
making headlines.
600k cancer research
grant award for
Plymouth Congratulations to
Professor of
haematology at
Plymouth University
Peninsula Schools of
Medicine and Dentistry
and consultant
haematologist at
Plymouth Hospitals
NHS Trust, Professor
Simon Rule, who
recently secured a grant
from Cancer Research
UK for his ENRICH
study, a trial to
compare the efficiency
and side-effects of
using a new drug
alternative to standard
chemotherapy for
cases of mantle cell
##lymphoma. It featured
in the
Plymouth Herald.
RDS SW Research Retreat 31 May to 5 June 2015 inclusive
Ammerdown Conference Centre near Bath
For health professionals and academic partners in the South West.
Deadline for applications: 1pm Wed 7 Jan 2015
Find out how to apply @ RDS SW website or email [email protected]
National recognition
for oral disease
research A research study at
Plymouth University
Peninsula School of
Dentistry which aims to
develop a simple saliva
test for gum diseases
featured in the Health
Medicine Network
Next issue due out
in February 2015!
Send your stories
and events to [email protected]
Nader Francis
published Clinical Research Speciality Lead for Surgery, Nader
