Patient Recruitment Centre: Blackpool
Patient Recruitment Centre (PRC): Blackpool is dedicated to setting up and delivering late phase commercial clinical trials in the NHS at pace and scale. The PRC is hosted by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
With investment in new patient recruitment systems and wide regional links, the PRC can support high volume patient recruitment, making it an ideal destination for late-phase commercial clinical research.
It is 1 of 5 PRCs funded by the NIHR.
By attracting more commercial research to the UK, we also increase opportunities for our patients to access cutting edge treatment and therapies that are not yet widely available through the NHS.
Explore PRC: Blackpool
Research expertise and facilities
The PRC’s research staff cover more than 20 clinical specialties and include world-renowned experts in:
- cardiovascular
- respiratory
- diabetes
- gastroenterology
- acute medicine
- oncology
- haematology
The PRC offers state-of-the-art facilities and shares its location between the Lancashire Cardiac Centre and Lancashire Haematology Centre. Both are centres of excellence, focused on offering the latest cutting edge treatments for its patient populations. This means the PRC has access to key hospital departments such as emergency care and pathology.
PRC: Blackpool also houses a dedicated clinical trials pharmacy and a dedicated, award winning research team. All of its pathology labs are research certified to national standards.
Successes include:
- the first global recruit for the phase III NOVAVAX COVID-19 vaccine trial in partnership with Fylde Coast Clinical Research
- recruiting above targets to both the NOVAVAX and VALNEVA COVID-19 vaccine trials within the recruitment window
Regional reach and connections
Blackpool is in the top 20% of most deprived areas in England. It has one of the lowest life expectancies among men and women, when compared with local authorities nationally. This offers unique opportunities for research and to improve health outcomes in the region.
All 4 neighbouring NHS acute trusts fully support the PRC and are keen to support wider access to late-phase commercial research for their patients, giving a potential reach of over 1.6 million people.
It also has wider regional connections, such as strong relationships with colleagues in the Greater Manchester Clinical Research Network, which extend its reach to more than 6 million people.
The hospital has excellent transport links while on-site parking is free to study participants.
For patients and the public
Each year PRC: Blackpool, based at Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, runs over 100 high quality clinical research studies. These are led by experienced research-active NHS clinicians who provide day-to-day care for NHS patients across a wide range of diseases and conditions.
Anyone taking part in trials is closely monitored for treatment side effects and you can leave a study at any time.
In our Patient Research Experience survey of 2019, 90% of over 850 patients said they had a good experience of taking part in research, which was 6% higher than the national result.
If you are interested in taking part in clinical research please get in touch or search for a research trialnear you.
Contact
Enquiries form industry: 01253 951514
General telephone: 01253 955547
Email: bfwh.prc.blackpool@nhs.net
Address
Patient Recruitment Centre: Blackpool
2nd Floor, Area 5
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Whinney Heys Road
Blackpool
Lancashire
FY3 8NR