Discover how 14 new NIHR Primary Care Commercial Research Delivery Centres across England are making it easier for patients to access innovative clinical trials, right at their local GP
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is opening 14 new Primary Care Commercial Research Delivery Centres (PC-CRDCs) across England. These GP-led centres are designed to bring groundbreaking treatments and clinical trials closer to patients, making participation simpler and more convenient. This expansion could transform how people access innovative healthcare in their communities.
Shifting research into community settings
The PC-CRDCs aim to support the shift of research and care from hospitals into community settings. They will improve access to clinical trials for people across England, particularly those in underserved groups and communities experiencing the most significant burden of ill health.
Ensuring fairer access to cutting-edge treatments and innovations will help people live healthier, longer lives. This £14m investment will help the UK deliver commercial clinical trials within primary care, supporting the country to become a global leader in clinical research delivery.
Health Innovation Minister Zubir Ahmed said: “This government wants to put the UK at the forefront of the revolution in life sciences and med tech, marrying our best scientific minds with the best minds in our NHS.
“These centres will help turbocharge Britain’s medical research and improve patient care, as part of our 10 Year Health Plan.
“We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and CEO of the NIHR, said: “GPs are the first point of call for many people. Through these new centres, we will be able to extend commercial research delivery from the hospitals to the high street. Patients will be able to participate in trials in their local communities, making it easier for them to access innovative treatments and technologies. This will allow a wider range of people to take part in research and accelerate delivery of commercial trials by supporting participation.”
PC-CRDCs: Accelerating commerical clinical trials
The PC-CRDCs will accelerate the delivery of commercial clinical trials in primary care, with gold standard set-up times and performance. They will act as hubs to support decentralisation and diversification of clinical trial delivery, and support an increase in research inclusion to ensure people from all communities can participate in clinical trials.
The 14 new PC-CRDCs will be hosted by:
- The Adam Practice, Poole, Dorset
- Ashton Medical Group, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lancashire
- The Garth Surgery, Guisborough, Cleveland
- Grove Surgery, Thetford, Norfolk
- Hounslow Medical Centre, Middlesex
- Layton Medical Centre, Blackpool, Lancashire
- Marine Lake Medical Practice, West Kirby, Wirral
- Mereside Medical, Ely, Cambridgeshire
- Pier Health Group, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset
- Rame Group Practice, Torpoint, Cornwall
- The University of Nottingham Health Service, Nottingham
- Wansford Surgery, Wansford, Peterborough
- West Walk Surgery, Yate, Bristol
- Windrush Medical Practice, Witney, Oxfordshire
Professor Melanie Davies, CRDC UK Network Director, said: “I’m delighted to welcome the designation of 14 new Primary Care Commercial Research Delivery Centres. This marks a significant step forward in strengthening our national research infrastructure and ensuring that commercial studies can be delivered efficiently and equitably across all parts of the country.
“Primary care plays a vital role in making research accessible to diverse communities and in supporting earlier diagnosis, prevention, and innovation at scale. These new Centres will work closely with regional and national partners to bring cutting-edge industry research opportunities closer to where people live, helping the UK remain a global leader in clinical research.”
Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: “The NIHR is committed to delivering better results for patients, and one way to do this is to bring innovative commercial research trials closer to home. These new PC-CRDCs will make it much easier for people to take part in research and get access to treatments and technologies that previously they would only have been able to access in hospital settings – often many miles away.”
Dr Janet Valentine, Executive Director of Innovation and Research Policy at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said: “There is increasing interest amongst pharmaceutical companies in delivering clinical trials outside hospital settings. The establishment of these new centres in primary care that are dedicated to delivering industry clinical trials provides a means of offering more patients the opportunity to access the latest treatments in development.
“We anticipate the centres, funded by an industry government partnership, will increase research capability in GP practices and local pharmacies, and lead to overall growth in industry trials in the primary care sector.”
