More than half (56%) of England’s GP practices took part in research during 2023/24, according to new data from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN).
The number of GP practices that participated in research — 3,606 — equates to a 12% increase from 2022/23. Around one in four people (26%) who were involved in NIHR CRN-led research were recruited from primary care, which is more than 270,000 people.
Over one million people took part in health and care research studies in England during 2023/24 — this is over 90,000 more than the previous year and the equivalent of a 10% jump. Ultimately, more than 5.4 million people have been recruited to NIHR CRN-supported research in the last five years in England.
“Our annual data shows health and care research is becoming more embedded in communities,” said John Sitzia, the executive director for the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN).
“But we know there’s still more to be done to ensure our supported research is representative and inclusive.”
“By bringing research out of the hospital and into the community, we are providing greater access to research so more people can take part in studies that will one day improve the care they receive,” added NIHR CEO, Professor Lucy Chappell. This is a key part of the NIHR’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
The data shows that England is a go-to place for industry to host global trials as, of the 6,074 CRN-supported trials, around two-fifths (39%) were commercial trials or commercial collaborative studies. Just under a quarter (24%) of the total cohort of research participants took part in these projects.
“Attracting commercial trials enables patients in the UK to have early access to innovative treatments that can improve, extend or even save their lives,” said Sitzia. “Money from pharmaceutical and technology companies can be invested back into the NHS — funding crucial therapies and healthcare services, and supporting the capacity and capability of our research system.”
He added that, as the CRN transitions to the RDN, new services and workflows are being developed to attract even more commercial companies to the country. For all the latest news coming from clinical trials and the broader research sector, register for National Health Executive’s inaugural life sciences online conference later this year.
Image credit: iStock
![[Left to right] Prof. Ronan Killeen - Consultant Radiologist at St. Vincent's Private Hospital, Andy Wilks - Head of Enterprise Services for Siemens Healthineers Great Britain and Ireland, Edel O’Keeffe - Director of Finance at St. Vincent's Private Hospital, Ghada Trotabas - Managing Director of Siemens Healthineers Great Britain and Ireland, Brian Fitzgerald - Chief Executive Officer of St. Vincent's Private Hospital with Grania Heal – Country Head for Ireland at Siemens Healthineers, and Rob Ruttledge](/sites/nhe/files/styles/teaser/public/2024-09/Press%20release%20image-24.jpg?itok=gHKP-rtG)
