I can’t do policy or politics today. Sorry.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing for International Clinical Trials Day (ICTD) and NIHR’s ‘Ok to ask’ campaign I hope it is going well.

For me, it has been all about the people I have met over the past week.

76 year old Anne, diabetic and badly disabled, who I chatted to over lunch at a dementia conference in Bristol. She decided to go the event because friend and neighbour has dementia and she thought it would be good to find out more about it. I think she might have been flirting with me when she invited me to her care workers birthday party.

Elaine who shared the green room with me at the radio studio on Friday morning. Elaine is in remission from breast cancer and told listeners up and down the UK about her positive experiences of being on a drug trial. I hope her Trust does the right thing and grants her wish of becoming a research champion volunteer.

Susan Moore who stole the show at the
Central Manchester Foundation Trust public event ‘Showcasing Medical Research.’ Susan is Chair of the research user group for the musculoskeletal work being done there and I can see why she is so highly valued by her colleagues. Professor Ian Bruce similarly gave a model example of how to talk about research to a mixed audience.

And the many clinical research nurses (CRNs) who contacted me after their annual conference last week with ideas and issues they are committed to help sort out with patients. Really, how long until we properly recognise how pivotal CRNs are to involving patients and the public?

Not to mention, the tweets, pictures, events, media stuff (watch out for Dame Sally on the 6pm BBC news by the way) and much, much more.

Clinical research. It’s definitely a people thing.