Study Support
What is the Study Support Service?
Our Study Support Service helps researchers and the life sciences industry plan, place and perform high quality research across health and social care settings in England.
We provide this service for all studies that meet our eligibility criteria. Our national structure connects individual research sites and enables a ‘do once and share’ approach to study delivery, which means you benefit from country-wide expertise and experience.
What are the aims of the Study Support Service?
Our Local Clinical Research Network staff work closely with research teams and everybody involved in the delivery of your study. They provide access to best practice study tools and resources that minimise duplication across sites.
Our service focuses on working together to add value during study planning and set-up activities, which underpin the successful delivery of the studies we support.
The team includes staff with expertise in Chief Investigator support, study set up, commercial studies, primary care, and wider community settings.
What can the Study Support Service offer you?
Our Study Support Service can impact the success of your study in 3 key areas:
Plan your study
Expert advice and guidance to help you plan your research
Get personalised advice and guidance about what support is available, tailored to your specific study needs. You can access this support even before you have secured funding. Engaging early will increase your support options.
Accurately identify relevant funders for all resources related to your study activities
Department of Health and Social Care guidance outlines responsibilities for funding the range of research activities. We have specialists and a UK-wide tool to help apply this to your study activities.
Ensure your research is inclusive
Read our INCLUDE guidance on improving inclusion of under-served groups in clinical research.
Find out more about how we can help you plan your study or trial in health or care settings.
Place your study
Identify sites for your study
We can gather expressions of interest to take part in your study from sites across England. You can discuss this with us anytime throughout the life cycle of your study.
Study delivery review
We undertake a study wide assessment to identify and highlight any challenges to study delivery. enabling a proactive approach to study set-up.
Find out more about how we can help you place your study to optimise performance.
Perform your study
Streamline your study set-up
We will use our national network to share a study-wide action plan to ensure multiple sites open as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Keep your research on track
Your allocated performance review lead will work with you to proactively monitor the progress of your study.
Find out more about how we work with you to keep your study on track.
We help make it possible for everyone across the region to have access to and participate in health and social research by:
- assisting with study set-up
- costings and finance
- feasibility
- assisting with expressions of interest
- identifying new studies
- providing guidance on portfolio adoption
- assisting with research governance
- setting up participant identification centres
- liaising with local Research and Development offices, support departments, pharmacy
Early contact is essential to making the most of our services. The sooner you get in touch, the more you will benefit from our expertise and resources.
Speak to the Study Support Service Team
If you would like further information or to request support with a study, please email our Study Delivery Team.