An NHS research service in the Tees Valley has teamed up with a global research company to build on its high profile regional and national successes to date.
The Tees Valley Research Alliance (TVRA) which oversees research activity at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is working with FutureMeds, a network of commercial research sites leading cutting edge clinical trials.
The company, who specialise in recruiting significant numbers of people into research studies, are now based in a bespoke trials facility at the University Hospital of North Tees.
The collaboration with FutureMeds means patients in the Tees Valley will have access to more opportunities to take part in cutting edge research trials.
The Trust has had significant successes in research over recent years – including during the COVID-19 pandemic as the top recruiting site for the RECOVERY trial to identify effective treatments for COVID and in the delivery of COVID vaccine trials .
There are 160 members of staff supporting the delivery of research across the alliance, recruiting more than 6,000 patients a year into research trials across 26 clinical specialisms in two health trusts.
Opening clinical studies up to more people
Jane Greenaway, associate director of the alliance, said: “This partnership will help us to increase the number of research studies available to patients across the Tees Valley. FutureMeds trials will be open to patients across primary and secondary care so you don’t necessarily need to be a patient who is seen in the hospital to take part.
“It will allow us to build on the outstanding progress made by our NHS research teams over recent years – something which is vitally important in allowing us to be able to give the best care to our patients and access new treatments.
“FutureMeds is a new and emerging research site network for clinical trials and we are excited to be working with them.”
Anna Townsend-Rose, site director at FutureMeds, said: “We have a track record of delivering important research trials across the world – this partnership will allow us to deliver this to the people in the Tees Valley.
“I have worked in the clinical trials arena for some years but without doubt, this is the most exciting time of my career to date. Working from our site at North Tees, we will be in a strong position to offer patients a wonderful experience as they take part in our studies. We have a strong team in place, all experienced in taking patients carefully and compassionately through the process.
“We want this site to be a key part of the Trust and of the wider community, giving more people the opportunity to take part in research trials and to find new treatments for a wide range of health issues.
“We are delighted to be here and can’t wait to make real progress at this site.”