More about our expertise and experience

Research Expertise

Our agile team of experienced, research-active NHS clinicians lead research studies as chief or principal investigators across all 30 therapeutic areas. We host world-leading expertise in common chronic conditions such as COPD, headaches, asthma, diabetes, heart failure, common skin conditions and depression where, due to the unique makeup of the region, we have some of the highest prevalence rates in the country. Through our host Trust, we can also provide access to a much wider pool of investigators in Newcastle, many of whom are world renowned NHS key opinion leaders. 

Read about our expertise in COPD and how it is being utilised in a clinical trial investigating a new treatment for people who continue to have COPD symptoms on current medication -  just one chronic condition that our team of investigators hold leading expertise in. 

Track record

Our performance in delivering commercial clinical research is among the best in the country. In the last five years, Newcastle Hospitals have supported 400 commercial studies and recruited more than 700 participants per year. On average, 82% of the NIHR-supported commercial trials we delivered were recruited to time and target.

As a result, the Trust has excellent relationships with pharmaceutical companies and Contract Research Organisations (CROs). We were the first Pfizer INSPIRE site; we are a Flagship site for Medpace, an Alliance site with Parexel, Partner site with IQVIA, Sanofi Partner, part of the Syneos Catalyst Oncology Network and have strong relationships with Novartis, PPD  and Roche.

Read about our successful track record in our news story about how NIHR PRC: Newcastle recruited the first UK participant into the ALLEVIATE study.

Recruitment Successes

At PRC Newcastle, we appreciate that different trials will require different recruitment strategies in order to be successful. Consequently, once the details of each trial are received, we formulate a bespoke recruitment package to optimise recruitment for the specific study, to maximise participant numbers, efficiency and cost effectiveness. We employ a variety of participant recruitment strategies ranging from Participant Identification Centres (both primary and secondary care), consent for contact registries, use of social media, radio/newspaper advertisements and links with community pharmacies and voluntary organisations.

We set-up and successfully delivered one of the UK’s first fully virtual commercial interventional clinical trials in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. We have also had 18 first Global/European/UK participants recruited at the host NHS trust in the past five years, six of these have been in the last financial year (2020/21).  

Other successes include: 

• Virtual trial success: we conducted the UK’s first fully virtual, commercial, interventional trial for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea (IBS-D) which recruited to time and target through the pandemic.
• Recruitment to time and target: we hit recruitment targets within three months, and ahead of target, for the PEARL clinical trial - an observational study looking at how effective a drug called fremanezumab is at treating chronic and episodic migraines.
• First UK patient recruited: on 9 November 2021 we recruited the first UK patient to the ALLEVIATE study, which is investigating a new treatment for cluster headaches.
• Patient and volunteer registry: we have quickly identified participants for several vaccine trials through our Research+Me register, which currently has more than 19,000 research-interested volunteers (as of 7 November 2021).

Read about our recruitment success in our news story celebrating how we hit recruitment targets within three months in the PEARL clinical trial. 

Patient Experience

Our purpose-built centre is designed to ensure a positive patient experience, with facilities such as the large comfortable patient reception and waiting area, quality day rooms and private interview rooms ensuring the comfort of our participants. This, along with the  patient-centred approach of the PRC team, has led to consistent positive patient feedback. 

• 98% felt our Researchers valued them taking part in the research
• 100% felt they were treated with courtesy and respect by researchers
• 96% would consider taking part in research again
  
  

Get in touch

Get in touch to discuss your upcoming research projects and find out how we can help you.

• Phone:  +44 (0) 191 282 1369
• Email: nuth.PRCNewcastle@nhs.net