There’s been an increase in the number of GP practices taking part in health research, data has revealed.
The growth has allowed more patients to participate in local clinical trials used to develop new treatments.
Fresh data has shown during 2023/24 more than half of all GP practices in England (56%) took part in research supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN), a body that funds and assists patients and health organisations to participate in high quality studies.
In all, 3,606 GP practices were involved in research, a 12 percentage point increase compared with the previous year.
It meant that one in four people who participated in NIHR CRN-supported research in England last year were recruited via primary care, representing just over a quarter (26%) of all recruitment to CRN-supported studies. These studies focused on a range of conditions including cancer, dementia and depression.
The latest data comes as the CRN, founded 10 years ago, transitions this year to a new organisation, called the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN).
From October 2024, this will operate as one organisation across England to support clinical trials and studies, but comprise 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (replacing the 15 current local clinical research networks) and a co-ordinating centre.
Executive Director of the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN), John Sitzia, said data shows health and care research is becoming more embedded in communities.
‘Studies taking place across the country enable more people with a range of backgrounds to get involved – so that everyone can get access to new treatments and health and care practices through participation in research.’
He added: ‘More GP practices taking part in research also gives primary care staff added expertise which can be used to improve health outcomes in patients.’
The Cripps Health Centre in Nottingham is a practice that has been taking part in health research for the past 15 years, including NIHR CRN-supported studies. The centre employs a permanent team of research staff and runs several clinical trials on any given week.
Daniel Hammersley, chief operating officer at Cripps Health Centre, said there is a lot to be gained by recruiting patients via GP practices to clinical trials.
He explained: ‘It means the volunteers are known to the staff leading the study and the volunteers already have a level of trust with the practice.
‘The practices are quickly able to screen out those who are eligible or ineligible for a trial and they maintain that positive relationship. It also means patients can have treatments that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access.’
The health centre supports a mix of commercial and non-commercial studies, including trials that looked into diabetes, flu, RSV, migraines, smoking cessation and more.
In total, there were 6,074 CRN-supported studies in England in 2023/24. Around a third of were commercial trials (29%), which are fully funded by the life sciences industry, while 10% were commercial collaborative studies, where companies work with a range of other partners.
Mr Sitzia said: ‘Attracting commercial trials enables patients in the UK to have early access to innovative treatments that can improve, extend or even save their lives. Money from pharmaceutical and technology companies can be invested back into the NHS – funding crucial therapies and healthcare services, and supporting the capacity and capability of our research system.’
In May, NHS England was told it should be ‘ambitious’ in boosting the number of GP practices that undertake commercial research.
