Boost health research to protect future patient care

A new report from the Academy of Medical Sciences claims that health research faces a crisis that could impact on patient care unless urgent changes are made.

The report, led by 10 prominent figures in the NHS and academia, highlights the number of research active NHS staff who are finding it increasingly difficult to find time for research, as support for research is not being aided by the widening gap between universities and the NHS. 

The Academy of Medical Sciences is calling for leaders in universities, the NHS and government to make urgent changes to protect and enhance research in the NHS, outlining a powerful vision to enhance the NHS research culture and support provided by universities to make sure scientific discoveries boost the NHS and improve patient care.

The report calls for immediate action by giving NHS staff protected time to do research. This should begin by running an estimated £25 million pilot scheme to allow one in five consultants to have one day a week of their time protected for research in ten hospitals across the UK. It is expected that the scheme would become cost neutral or even save money in the longer term by improving recruitment and retention of NHS staff, reducing spending on agency staff, and increasing research funding from life sciences companies.

The report also calls for: all healthcare organisations, including hospitals and doctors’ surgeries, to actively promote research, by valuing and measuring the health research they carry out; and for universities to embrace NHS staff into their research teams by increasing the number of honorary positions they award to NHS staff.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: "Protecting and strengthening research is a win-win situation for patients, the NHS, universities and our economy. Research is the tonic the NHS needs right now. There is increasing evidence that shows that patients treated in research active hospitals get better quality of care, even if they are not taking part in a research project.

“Evidence also suggests that including research in medical roles makes it easier to attract and keep the best doctors. Research can also provide a coping mechanism to avoid burnout in NHS staff, so could make a dent in the £480 million yearly NHS spend on agency staff.”

Despite the known benefits of research, the report highlights that many NHS Trusts see research as ‘nice to have’. The number of medical clinical academics – NHS consultants employed by universities to lead research – has decreased from 7.5 per cent to 4.2 per cent of NHS medical consultants from 2004 to 2017. Only 0.4 per cent of GPs and 0.1 per cent of nursing, midwifery and other health professionals had research as part of their role in 2017.