Local people will have the chance to find out about clinical research and how it could actively benefit health during an awareness event in the main entrance at King’s Mill Hospital on 8th December.

Clinical research is the study of health and illness in people. It is a way of learning how to prevent, diagnose and treat illness and works out which treatments work better for patients. It means patients get access to new treatments, interventions and medicines, and investment in research means better, more cost-effective patient care.

Research nurses will be on hand between 10am and 2pm to provide facts on what research involves and how participating in research could lead to a better health outcome, as well as showcasing successful trials the Trust has already undertaken. They will also provide expert advice to people wishing to undertake research activities, and information on resources available to researchers to assist them to conduct clinical trials within their specialist areas.

The trust is currently leading the way with research recruitment, signing up the highest number of patients out of 17 participating Trusts around the country to CANDIDA (Cancer Diagnosis Decision rules), a study coordinated by the University of Southampton, which aims to find what symptoms and examinations are best for predicting lung and bowel cancer.

Dominic Nash, Research Team Leader at the Trust, said: “Over the last year we have successfully recruited over 800 patients to research trials in many clinical areas across the trust.

“Clinical research improves health outcomes and getting involved not only has the potential to benefit the people that take part, but also gives the opportunity to have a positive impact on the care and treatment of other patients in the future.”