Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and the University of York open new research hub at Foss Park Hospital
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and The University of York have signed a new agreement that will see vital mental health research being carried out at the new Foss Park Hospital in York.
The University is investing £500,000 in the hospital as part of an ongoing partnership with the Trust that will also see mental health researchers using dedicated research facilities at the hospital.
The research space includes a shared office space, two consultation rooms, a treatment room, a patient lounge and a clinical trials pharmacy room.
This space has been critical over the last few months, allowing TEWV and University of York researchers to remain operational and work together to continue to deliver priority and urgent public health COVID-19 mental health research studies.
Brent Kilmurray, Chief Executive of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said “Our partnership with The University of York is creating great opportunities for us to work together on world class research into mental health. By working closely we can embed research into the care we provide and in turn continue to improve the potential outcomes for people and aid their recovery.
“The dedicated space at our Foss Park Hospital is the next step in our commitment to working together for many years to come and I’m looking forward to welcoming staff from the University to work alongside our Trust staff in continuing to improve the lives of people not only in York, but around the world.”
Professor Charlie Jeffery, Vice-Chancellor University of York, said: “This is a vitally important collaboration between ourselves and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV).
“Mental health is a key area of research at the University, and this new collaboration will give University and Trust staff the opportunity to deliver high-quality mental health research for our local population, the results of which will have far wider societal benefits and applications.”
The new research hub also serves as an example of collaborative working between NIHR Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs), as the footprint of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust extends across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) and the Yorkshire and Humber (Y&H) regions. Both LCRNs are committed to supporting the flexible delivery of mental health studies across the shared area and look forward to seeing participants from both regions take part in research at Foss Park Hospital.
