Walsall patients are being encouraged to get involved in developing new knowledge and treatments for future care and local experts will be on hand to explain how as part of International Clinical Trials Day today (Monday 20 May).
Members of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Research Department will be running a promotional stand near Costa Coffee in the Manor Hospital between 9am and 3pm. Members of the team will be available to talk about research, why it is so important, how patients and staff can get involved and what difference it can make.
Dr Marie Lewis, Assistant Director for Research and Professional Development, said: “There is a range of research activities that people can get involved in. This includes helping to develop research questions, applying for funding and ethical approval, sitting on advisory groups, carrying out research and disseminating the findings.
“We will be on hand today to talk to people why they might want to get involved and what sort of things they would like to do. There are a number of research activities to suit the time commitment people are able to offer or to be tailored to their specific skills and experience. This may mean someone attends a meeting for example to shape project advisory groups, public events, reference groups or workshops. Others may want to be involved in reviewing papers.”
In Walsall the trust is supporting several clinical trials across the disciplines – including Add-Aspirin, Ecztra 2 and Orion 4 – and nurses are keen to promote their work via today’s focus.
Dr Lewis added: “We will also be seeking engagement with staff to identify colleagues keen to get involved in research and those who may be willing to put themselves forward as a speciality lead for their area so that the research team can have effective connections and discuss studies with the relevant disciplines. We are keen to widen our research portfolio and start exploring new areas that may be keen to do some research.
“Put simply, research changes lives. It’s vital to help us develop better treatments and care, as well as improve diagnosis and prevention, but it can only happen thanks to the thousands of people, of all ages, willing to volunteer for studies every year.”
Walsall’s Research Department is made up of: Dr James Halpurn Research Director, Dr Marie Lewis Assistant Director for Research and Professional Development, Catherine Dextor and Jenny Stevens, Research Managers supporting Walsall through the West Midlands Clinical Research Network, Clinical Research Nurses Fionnuala Lenehan, Lisa Richardson, Victoria Foster, Emma Vigillio, Joanne Butler, Prescilla Mhembere and Elaine Walton. Julie Fletcher is responsible for Research Governance and the team’s apprentices are Liam Botfield and Ellie Nicholls. Llink personnel support studies in Pharmacy, Radiology and Pathology.
Find out more by visiting the national Institute for Health Research (NIHR )website https://www.nihr.ac.uk