About us - Research and Development at Barnsley Hospital

The Research Department serves multiple functions within the trust, all of which serve to increase the relevance of the research. We encourage a research culture within the trust, promoting collaborative arrangements with both internal and external researchers, whilst maintaining a national research profile.

Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has a reputation of excellent delivery into several early and late phase commercial trials in various specialties.

There is a strong focus on ensuring that a robust feasibility is conducted, in order to ensure that recruitment to time and target at site is achieved. In 2018/19 the Trust achieved 100% recruitment to time and target for commercial studies.

Research is offered wherever possible, as a treatment option to all our patients. Visits are conducted either as an inpatient or within the outpatient department, with access to clinical equipment including emergency equipment if required.

Staff:

The Research team at Barnsley Hospital currently consists of 13 members of staff and includes both office based and clinical Staff.

The wider research team consist of support staff and Principal Investigators across various specialities.

This wider team is supported to conduct research by a team of dedicated Research Nurses who have experience of coordinating the set up and conduct of studies in the NHS.

Clinical trials assistants assist with timely data entry and data queries are reviewed and resolved in a timely manner.

The Research Governance team focus on speedy set up and prompt delivery of the trial target. We have an average set up time of 30 days.

Experience:

The team have experience of conducting a large-scale adult vaccine trial and the same principles can easily be adapted to other vaccine studies

All Research Nurses at the Trust have undertaken vaccine training, as well as immediate life support and anaphylaxis training.

All research team members undertake Good clinical practice every 2 years.

Collaborations:

There are very strong links with local Primary Care GPs and we have good connections with a cluster of GPs that consist of 5 practices who often act as patient identification centres to ensure that the local population are well informed of research opportunities.

There are strong links with local pharmacies who display ethically approved posters to aid recruitment.

Recruitment strategies:

Potential participants can be identified during routine visits or via clinic lists.

We will also use social media advertising, radio advertisement and display of ethically approved posters within the hospital and in GP practices.

Confirmation of Capability and Capacity:

Barnsley will use a Clinical Trial Agreement and commercial web-based interactive Costing Tool. This would enable rapid costing, contracting and Confirmation of Capability and Capacity.

Facilities:

Samples can be processed on site and stored at ambient temperature or within a temperature monitored fridge or freezer at either -20 or -80. Barnsley and Rotherham have shared lab facilities allowing research samples to be processed at either site.

We have a dedicated Clinical Trials Pharmacy Technician, who is supported by a Senior Pharmacist, who oversees dispensing of the IMP and management of the pharmacy site file. In addition, there are a further 3 Pharmacy Technicians and a Pharmacist who are all GCP trained and support the dispensing of study medication. The dedicated research pharmacy has all the facilities to deliver vaccine trials including monitored fridge and freezers