A cutting‑edge NHS partnership has been launched to make it quicker and easier for industry to run commercial health research across the South West of England.
The South West Commercial Research Group – the first network of its kind in the region – brings together expertise from across the NHS, including GP practices, mental health services, acute hospitals and community care. Its aim is to streamline commercial research, speed up study set-up, and create more opportunities for life sciences companies to collaborate with the NHS.
Offering end‑to‑end trial delivery, rapid feasibility, and access to a commercially experienced workforce, the SWCRG is expected to make the South West a far more attractive destination for innovative clinical research. The partnership will also increase opportunities for local communities to participate in studies, boosting access to cutting-edge treatments and technologies.
The new partnership is made up of eight NHS organisations, including:
- Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Devon Partnership NHS Trust
- The Bristol NHS Group
- Five Devon-based GP practices
Together, these partners bring broad experience across regulated medical devices, medications, surgical procedures, mental health interventions, acute and community care, and nutrition trials.
The collaborative model is designed to reduce fragmentation, improve coordination, and help commercial sponsors connect with the right NHS services more efficiently.
By simplifying processes and offering one coordinated route into the NHS, the SWCRG will:
- Speed up commercial study setup
- Provide a streamlined way for companies to work with multiple NHS providers
- Increase trial capacity across the South West
- Support economic growth by positioning the region as a destination for life sciences investment
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS FT’s Research and Development Director, Professor Helen Quinn, said:
“Patients treated in NHS organisations where research takes place are known to have better health outcomes, and commercial research increases opportunities to reinvest in local NHS services while accelerating new treatments and therapies into routine care.
Combining our experience and resources across NHS organisations is a powerful way to increase our research capacity. This means we are able to open more research studies that matter most to our local population. This will greatly benefit our region, and I’m excited to see this develop in the coming years.”
Health leaders say the initiative will benefit patients by improving opportunities to join research studies and access new treatments earlier, while strengthening the region’s role in the UK’s commercial research ecosystem.
The launch marks a major step toward building a more joined‑up, agile and industry‑ready NHS research environment, helping to drive innovation and improve health outcomes across the South West.
Image credit: iStock
