Award winning Research and Development Team
The Research and Development team at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust have won ‘Team of the Year’ at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network West Midland’s Awards.
The NIHR awards celebrate the range of clinical research taking place right here in the West Midlands - from studies to improve future treatments for mental health conditions, to COVID-19 vaccines and examining and understanding the increased risk of contracting COVID-19 among healthcare workers.
The award for the winning category recognises the team’s contribution in the Worcestershire Covid-Trial Response Team alongside colleagues at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, CRN West Midlands Primary Care and Across Teams, University of Birmingham Students, which came together to support the delivery of the national priority Covid-19 trials.
Sam Whitby, Research and Development Manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said, “We are so pleased to have had our hard work recognised as part of the Worcestershire Covid-Trial Response Team.
"The trials we were involved in included the 'RECOVERY Trial' which really helped increase the knowledge of which existing treatments may be beneficial for people hospitalised with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
"Research Trials into COVID-19 will continue for many years to come but on Friday 17 June it’s #RedforResearch Day where people are invited to wear something red and show their support to everyone involved in making research into COVID-19 happen. Please join the Research Team in this!”
The team supports a wide array of studies looking at mental health conditions including depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder.
They also undertake research in other fields including COVID-19, dementia, complex neurology, dietetics and musculoskeletal conditions.
Dr John Devapriam, Medical Director and Executive Lead for Research at the Trust said, "Research is vital to improving healthcare, reducing disability, and improving the quality of our lives.
"This is everyone’s business, and those who participate in clinical research make an incredibly valuable and important contribution to our shared society.”
From childhood vaccines, cancer treatments and scans, to investigating new treatments for dementia, talking therapies and fighting Covid-19, the NHS and its patients benefit from clinical and health research every day.
The Trust is currently involved in six studies with another 10 in the process of being set up.
Staff are encouraged to visit the Research and Development pages on the staff intranet to find out more.
Patients and members of the public who wish to get involved in research, can visit the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust website or get in touch by emailing the team.