Research and development
As a University Teaching Trust, we want to promote high quality research. We see it as essential for cost-effectiveness and for improvements in the quality and safety of the healthcare we provide.
We encourage our staff to participate in research or to lead it. Many of our nurses, doctors and therapists have undertaken research and contributed to the development of our mental health and learning disability services. But it isn't only the staff that are vital to research; patients are too.
Our patients are vital
Recently, the NHS recognised research as a core activity of NHS work - a move that we welcome. Here is an extract from the draft NHS Constitution:
"Research is a core part of the NHS because it enables the NHS to improve the current and future health of the population.
Therefore, the NHS will do all it can to give patients, from every part of England, with any illness or disease, a right to know about research that is of particular relevance to them and, if they choose, to take part in approved medical research that is appropriate for them.."