Government wants data and digital to be at the heart of clinical research

The government has set out its vision for the future of clinical research delivery which includes an environment which is “enabled by data and digital tools”.

‘Saving and Improving Lives: The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’, sets out how the government plans to deliver faster, more efficient and more innovative research.

Using best practice, it is hoped participating in research will become more accessible, increasing diversity and allowing more people across the whole of the UK to take part.

The vision is built around 5 key themes:

• Clinical research embedded in the NHS – to create a research-positive culture in which all health and care staff feel empowered to support and participate in clinical research as part of their job.
• Patient-centred research – to make access and participation in research as easy as possible for everyone across the UK, including rural, diverse and under-served populations.
• Streamlined, efficient and innovative research – so the UK is seen as the best place in the world to conduct fast, efficient and cutting-edge clinical research.
• Research enabled by data and digital tools – to ensure the UK has the most advanced and data-enabled clinical research environment in the world, building on our unique data assets to improve health and care.
• A sustainable and supported research workforce – which offers rewarding opportunities and exciting careers for all healthcare and research staff of all professional backgrounds – across both commercial and non-commercial research.

Matt Hancock, secretary of state for Health and Social Care Secretary said: “Clinical research is the backbone of healthcare – it is the way we improve the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and improves the lives of patients across the country. This has never been more true than in our response to the pandemic.

“By taking advantage of our world-renowned research expertise, and a strong partnership between business, academia, the NHS and Government, we are determined to make the UK the best possible place to carry out clinical research that will improve the health of people here and across the world.

“Ground-breaking technologies, data and analytics will transform healthcare and save lives. Now is the time to seize the opportunity and make this vision a reality.”

The five themes were developed by the UK Recovery, Resilience and Growth programme which included the likes of NHS Digital and NHSX.

To deliver these aims, several priority areas have been identified, such as improving the speed and efficiency of setting up studies, building upon digital platforms to deliver clinical research, and making research more diverse and more relevant to the whole UK.

Lord Bethell, Minister for Innovation added: “We are rapidly approaching a step change in global healthcare, with new technologies and treatments transforming the way we diagnose, treat and prevent illness.

“We need to act now to position the UK at the forefront of this healthcare revolution. Our vision sets out how we will achieve a clinical research delivery system in the UK which is innovative, delivers for all research sponsors and patients and is resilient in the face of future healthcare crises.”