NHS research contract awarded to NNUH

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) has been awarded a contract extension to host National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) clinical research delivery across East Anglia for another three years.

The original five-year contract was awarded to NNUH in the spring of 2014 with a view to it being retendered in 2019. However, the NIHR has decided to extend the contract to 2022 rather than calling for new bids at this time.

As the regional host for NIHR’s Clinical Research Network (CRN), the research delivery arm of the NHS, NNUH oversees a team which ensures NIHR clinical research is carried out efficiently across East Anglia. This includes allocating funds and guidance to local hospitals and GP surgeries to support their involvement, and assisting teams to increase opportunities for patients and the public to take part in clinical research.

Mark Davies, chief executive at NNUH, said: “The additional three years on our contract to host the NIHR Clinical Research Network in East Anglia is great news for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals and will help to support the dedicated clinical research staff across the region who are working hard on research to benefit patients.

“The trust has an active and expanding research programme including our role in research at the Quadram Institute. We are committed to championing research and feel privileged to run the NIHR regional clinical research network and be at the forefront of research to benefit patients.”

Jesus Perez, regional clinical director for the Eastern region’s NIHR CRN, said: “This decision is an endorsement of NNUH’s reputation for facilitating the national clinical research delivery strategy. We have seen a huge amount of work put into laying the foundations for NHS staff to be research innovators and to enable their patients to get involved, and we are delighted to have been given the opportunity to build on this over the next four years.”

Jonathan Sheffield, national chief executive officer for the NIHR CRN, said: “This extension is recognition of the excellent collective development and delivery of the NIHR Clinical Research Network over the past four years, demonstrated by the continuous and measurable improvement in the effectiveness and efficiency of the network, and by the countless local and national initiatives to promote, engage and involve NHS patients, the public and other stakeholders in clinical research.”