Patients across the UK will benefit from a super-charged clinical research system, backed by £ 175 million of dedicated investment, which will save lives across the country.
The UK-wide plan released today (Thursday 30 June) will allow innovative research to be carried out more quickly, helping patients access cutting-edge treatments sooner, speeding up diagnosis and helping to overcome Covid delays. Is going to:
- Increase the amount of research and the size of the workforce by putting the UK at the center of cutting-edge and global clinical trials
- Improve the quality of research by expanding the accountability and accountability of studies at the NHS
- Make sure studies address the needs and challenges facing the NHS, including improving inclusion and accessibility
- Take advantage of opportunities outside the EU to reduce regulations that allow for safe, fast and flexible research
- Improve participation in research across the UK by investing in digitally focused trials
This will further consolidate the UK’s position as a world leader in life sciences and in the delivery of clinical research, and follow the country’s successful development and deployment of Covid vaccines.
The plan, which sets out the second phase of work until 2022-2025 to achieve The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’s vision, includes £ 150 million in additional funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR ) and 25 pounds. millions of additional funding from other UK clinical research recovery, resilience and growth program delivery partners.
The second phase will be based on the work already done, including halving the approval times of new clinical trials.
The £ 175 million investment is in addition to funding of up to £ 200 million announced earlier this year to strengthen the data infrastructure in delegated administrations to enable better research and consolidate the UK’s status as a global superpower of the life sciences.
Ongoing investment means that clinical trials can be carried out more quickly with a strengthened workforce and improved technology, helping patients to participate virtually, which is already benefiting across the UK, with examples including the delivery of antiviral treatments to protect vulnerable people from Covid.
The Secretary of Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, said:
We are strengthening clinical research to improve healthcare for patients across the UK, providing our world-leading experts with the tools they need to deliver cutting-edge scientific developments, grow the workforce and leverage digital innovations.
As a global superpower in the life sciences, we have led the world in vaccines and antiviral treatments and today’s plan will ensure that we continue to be at the forefront of clinical research to save lives and eliminate Covid’s backwardness. ”
The Minister of Technology, Innovation and Life Sciences, Lord Kamall, said:
Our world-leading scientists and physicians demonstrated time and time again during the Covid pandemic that they are at the forefront of innovation and scientific progress.
We will continue to support them by providing the funding, infrastructure and manpower needed for state-of-the-art life-saving clinical research.
By working together we can protect the NHS, reduce backlog and ensure that patients benefit from fast and safe clinical research. ”
Significant advances to strengthen research already include:
- Halve approval times for new clinical trials, allowing them to start faster and new innovative research to discover faster
- Launch of a new UK-wide professional accreditation scheme for clinical research professionals to help double the size of this important workforce and enable more research to be done
- Provide a £ 200 million investment in health data infrastructure in England to strengthen the data infrastructure in delegated administrations to enable better research
Improve the UK’s ability to leverage technology and conduct studies virtually and in the community, such as the PANORAMIC antiviral treatment trial for Covid and the RELIEVE IBS-D virtual trial designed to help people with IBS-D to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR Executive Director, said:
I am delighted to work with such a strong and broad cross-sectoral partnership to transform the future of research.
I know we all want to deliver real change for patients and researchers, and these plans mark our shared commitment to strengthening our drive for efficient, innovative, patient-centered research that meets the health and care challenges of future “.
Robin Swann, Minister of Health, Executive of Northern Ireland, said:
The recommendations contained in this plan will build on and reinforce the important contribution that Northern Ireland has already made to local, British and global research.
They will be based on local leadership, the commitment of our health and social staff to ensure that patients are offered participation in trials and receive support through them, and the willingness of the public to be part of and partners of these studies. Research should be comprehensive in practice in health and social care, and the recovery, resilience and growth of this research are vital to improving the health and well-being of the population of Northern Ireland. This new plan provides us with the basis to achieve this. “
Humza Yousaf, secretary of the health and social care cabinet, Scottish government said:
The UK’s clinical research strategy, published last year, set out an ambitious vision for realizing the true potential of clinical research. Over the past year, we have worked with our partners from the research community, nations and sectors moving forward on our shared goal of a more innovative and resilient research system with clinical research integrated into the NHS.
This is vital to the NHS recovery, and the Phase 2 plan released today sets out key areas of focus for the next three years. Scotland is proud to be part of this work: building on our combined research strengths across the UK we can make the vision a reality, help shape the future of healthcare and improve people’s lives. over the next few years. “
Health and Social Services Minister Eluned Morgan of the Government of Wales said:
The UK clinical research strategy published last year was a major catalyst for a new way of working to drive the UK-wide research agenda as we emerge from the pandemic.
Wales prides itself on being a key partner in increasing resilience in the research sector, integrating research into the NHS and driving innovation that will improve care, well-being and treatment here in Wales and beyond. .
I look forward to working with other delegated nations and Health and Care Research Wales to drive these ambitious plans that will support the life sciences agenda, as well as address health inequalities and improve the health of people across the world. United Kingdom”.