Connect with us and contribute to research in your region

The national Patient Recruitment Centre initiative is purpose-designed to increase the UK’s capacity to deliver late-phase commercial clinical research and attract more studies to our region.

Partnerships and collaborations across the health sector in our locality are a key feature of our operating model. These connections, which include primary, secondary, community and social care organisations, extend our recruitment reach far beyond the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. This means that we can provide more opportunities for more people to access cutting edge treatments and therapies.

Working with PRC: Leicester

PRC: Leicester is one of five national Patient Recruitment Centres across the UK. We work closely with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and primary care colleagues to provide a PRC that is for the whole integrated healthcare system. This includes access to data systems to simplify screening processes that can identify potential participants. Our recruitment practices are monitored closely through rigorous governance measures.

Supporting patients to enter clinical trials

Research participants tell us they want to take part in clinical research to learn more about their condition, improve their health and quality of life, and give hope to other people - including children and grandchildren - who may have the same condition as them. With your help, we can support your patients to access medicines, devices and therapeutic programmes that are not yet available on the NHS.

Better together

We work with GP practices, community health partners and social care organisations across the health and social care system to identify patients who may be eligible for clinical trials. We would like you to help us identify patients you think would benefit from the studies we run. You can do this  by either having an initial face-to-face or telephone conversation, or by sending them a letter. We will provide the materials and organisations will be financially recompensed for the time spent identifying patients.

Following this initial contact, patients will be put in touch with us to complete the consent process. Where needed, we can provide recruitment support at your location through letters of access (arranging the appropriate permissions) for our staff to be on your premises. We are also investigating a new remote assistance model for GP practices to help identify potential participants.

"As most of the patients in the NHS are managed in primary care, it makes sense that the evidence used in patient care is generated in the primary care settings where GPs play an important role in engaging patients holistically.

“Being a research practice has increased the variety of roles in our practice, thus improving our job satisfaction and reducing burn out. The increased workload, even though minimal, is funded. Recruitment of patients is easy as there is effective communication between researchers, the practice and the patients.

“Additionally, all our research topics and designs are strategically chosen to suit general practice needs and use familiar communication strategies to engage patients. "

Dr Samuel Seidu, GP Partner, Hockley Farm Medical Practice

Ongoing care for your patients

We encourage all potential participants to discuss their involvement in a clinical trial with their GP, healthcare professional, family and caregivers. If one of your patients is recruited to a study, we will check their registered healthcare provider details on a regular basis so we can stay in touch with you as needed. You can read more about the warm welcome patients will receive at PRC Leicester by visiting the patients and public page.

Amplifying the message

Whether you are a GP practice, charity or community group, you can support us by using your communication channels to help us reach out to people who may benefit from a particular clinical trial. We will provide you with the key tools and assets for in-situ advertising,  social media, newsletters and websites so you can share opportunities to take part in clinical research among your communities.

Get in touch

For more information about PRC: Leicester, please contact us:

• Email: PRCLeicester@uhl-tr.nhs.uk 
• Phone: +44 (0)7950 893428