Primary Care Team
Supporting GP practices with the development, set-up and delivery of high quality research within the East Midlands
Why get involved in clinical research?
Evidence suggests that patients who receive care in research-active organisations have better health outcomes than those treated in a non-research environment.
Clinical research offers the chance to learn new techniques and approaches to healthcare and to spend quality time engaging with patients.
The overwhelming majority of people who take part in research have a positive experience and welcome the opportunity to help us develop new medicines and treatments to help patients now and in the future.
What support do we provide?
Each East Midlands county is home to its own Primary Care Research Team, consisting of Clinical Studies Development Officers (CSDO) and Research Facilitators. The team are equipped with the knowledge, experience and expertise required to provide each Primary Care site with personalised support in assisting with everything research related, including the set-up, delivery, and performance management of NIHR Portfolio Studies.
The team work closely alongside the Study Support Service who are responsible for initial contact with study teams, assisting with regulatory submissions, attributions of costs, and exploration of recruitment pathways to optimise study delivery.
The Primary Care Website
Our CRN East Midlands Primary Care Research Website provides an online platform for sites to access all the information and guidance required to deliver research in Primary Care settings, including access to Free Online Training , Research Delivery Processes, and Procedures and all Studies available for sites to take part in. If you would like access to the Primary care website, please contact primarycareresearch-eastmidlands@nihr.ac.uk
Funding
Primary Care sites can receive both 'one off' and 'longer-term' funding to support them in building and growing their research delivery infrastructure.
Research Support Staff
The Primary Care Team are able to provide 1:1 research delivery training and support to Primary Care Sites. In the wider CRN Team, the Direct Delivery Team (DDT) are able to provide Clinical Research Nurses and Practitioners to support sites with the day-to-day running of studies and to support GP Practices to develop their research experience.
Did you know?
In 2022/23, 273 GP Practices across the East Midlands were research active.
Some of the highest recruiting Primary Care research studies in the East Midlands were The 'LOLIPOP' Study, The 'Using Primary Care to tackle Domestic Violence and Abuse' Study and The 'Measuring Loneliness' Study.
Over one million people have taken part in Primary Care research through General Practices, dentists and pharmacies.
One quarter of all NIHR Portfolio research takes place in Primary Care settings.
Our Research Site Initiative Scheme
Our Research Site Initiative (RSI) scheme offers GP surgeries that are passionate about contributing towards improved care of their patients the opportunity to work with us to deliver research.
The scheme provides infrastructure funding to selected Primary Care sites enabling them to develop and maintain capacity and capability to contribute to NIHR CRN-supported studies.
There is a suite of performance and deliver options across the scheme which is proportionate with the region's portfolio requirements.
If you would like to find out more about the RSI scheme please get in touch and a member of the Primary Care Research Team would be happy to meet with you to provide more information.
Our Region
Our Primary Care Research team covers the East Midlands region, with a small team of Clinical Service Delivery Officers (CSDOs) and Research Staff based across the region.
To find out more, get in touch with our team in your area:
Contact the Derbyshire Primary Care Research team
Contact the Leicestershire & Rutland Primary Care Research team
Contact the Lincolnshire Primary Care Research team
