I am prone to beating up our Royal Colleges for one reason or another. But, over the last few years, I have grown to admire and respect the work of one of their number in particular - the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). Yesterday, RCPCH launched a new report entitled 'Turning the Tide:... Continue Reading →
Text of speech to INVOLVE 2012 – Public involvement in research: would you like that shaken or stirred?
Public involvement in research: would you like that shaken or stirred? So, ladies and gentlemen, there I was on Saturday afternoon, at the pictures, watching the new James Bond movie, ‘Skyfall.’ This was background research for today you understand; listening to Adele dolefully sing: ‘This is the end’ which is the opening line of the... Continue Reading →
Diabetes and cancer network reports on engaging people about clinical research and more…
My thanks to the Diabetes Research Network (DRN) for sending me their report 'Improving public awareness of clinical research.' Clinical research networks are at the 'front-line' in terms of encouraging people to take part in research and this report gives a good insight into some of the tools and strategies used by DRN. Others trying to... Continue Reading →
Round round get around I get around – Caldicott2, patient data, dementia portal and more!
So sang The Beach Boys who were on Radio 2's 'In Concert' this week. Not that I'm a great fan but it seemed apposite given my week. This has involved visits to TrialReach, Oxford (well, virtually!) to discuss plans for public involvement in the Biomedical Research Centre there, my good colleagues at BioMedCentral and, tomorrow,... Continue Reading →
New science networks herald more fertile ground for health innovation
If contemplating NHS change rest assured, and this from one who once visited Mt Etna, that the lava does solidify, some old structures do survive, and it is possible for new ones to be built with solid foundations. Herewith some new and some not so new 'kids' on the block in the world of research.... Continue Reading →
The life sciences, the public and the growth agenda…its not just about bums on seats
This is an extract from a talk I gave on Monday to the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Newcastle. I tried to answer the following question: The life sciences are seen as fundamental to the nation’s health and to economic growth. But what is the public’s role in making this happen? The... Continue Reading →
Thoughts on public involvement, participation and engagement in research…from Denmark
Those of you who follow me on twitter (and you can do so by clicking on the twitter symbol on the blog), will know that, earlier this week, I was tweeting from Copenhagen in Denmark. Myself and Derek Stewart, Associate Director for PPI at NIHR CRN CC, were there to help launch the Danish Health... Continue Reading →
DH and charities reach acoRD over medical research costs
Divvying up the costs of conducting research in the NHS funded by medical research charities is an intricate business. Who pays for that research nurse, their time in administering the extra treatment required in a clinical trial, the procedures and equipment needed as part of its conduct, the oversight and governance needed to ensure that things are done... Continue Reading →
The public interest argument must extend beyond open access…here’s a sort of lay summary
Good Guardian blog yesterday giving a lay summary of the 'open access' debate vis a vis papers published in scientific journals. There's also been a healthy exchange of letters in The Times this week but ironically that's behind their paywall. However, at least The Times is available in all good newsagents at a reasonable price. Unsurprisingly, I... Continue Reading →
There was an online discussion hosted by The Guardian this morning about commercially sponsored clinical trials in the NHS. You can get the jist here.
Have charities really put the brakes on public involvement in research?
I was pulled-over by the police on the M25 on Sunday night. Unbeknown to me, my car brake lights had failed so that they were permanently on. Quite apart from blinding any traffic on my tail, an unwitting driver could easily have mis-read my intentions with who knows what consequences. Thankfully that didn't happen. And by... Continue Reading →
It’s a rare day when nothing happens….
Without wishing to open that old hornet's nest about the value of Awareness Days/Weeks/Years [delete as necessary], it does seem as though February and March are the busiest months for such events doesn't it? Tweets announcing the latest and the greatest pop up on my phone like the offspring of rampant sheep, such are their regularity. Are there... Continue Reading →
The duty falls on all of us to issue that wake-up call to the NHS about its research mission
Last week, medical research charities among others hailed a series of Government amendments made to the Health and Social Care Bill. These place 'a strong duty across the Secretary of State, the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups to promote research and the use of research evidence.' The amendments are in response to persistent lobbying; their... Continue Reading →
Charities wade in on Leveson and media reporting of science
The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) together with Cancer Research UK and Wellcome Trust have this afternoon published their response to the Leveson inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press. See first item listed under 2012 on this page at the AMRC website. The submission makes good points and I learnt... Continue Reading →
[The definite article] and why it stands in the way of a definitive plan for UK science
****you might also like to read William Cullerne Bown's analysis of the Science Minister's speech referred to in this blog and which appeared on the same day as that below*** Yesterday the Royal Society posted on its website the full text of Lord Rees' Christmas Lecture to the Science and Policy Research Centre. Its worth a... Continue Reading →
Research is for life: making research part and parcel of the patient journey
I was very privileged to be asked to give the Furlong Christmas Lecture a few weeks ago. I hope this doesn't seem egotistical but here's the text of that lecture amended with useful links etc - it touches on and rehearses themes that will be familiar to those of you who have visited the blog... Continue Reading →
Health Research Authority (HRA) commits to public involvement from day one
The Health Research Authority (HRA) has published the plan for what it will be up too in the months leading up to March 2012. Really pleased to see a commitment under the Governance section (para 3.3) to develop a comprehensive plan for public and patient involvement. You'll see the statement mentions working with both INVOLVE and AMRC... Continue Reading →
Has Age UK lost the research mojo?
An article by Anjana Ahuja in The Observer the weekend before last, examined the dispute that has arisen over the new funding guidelines that Age UK has issued for its scientific grants programme. A range of leading scientist in the field of ageing including Professor Richard Faragher, Chair of the British Society for Research on... Continue Reading →
You cluster if you want to…the single most important translational gap in UK clinical research today
A colleague of mine put up two slides at a meeting today which neatly encapsulated for me the key strategic - perhaps translational gap - in uk clinical research right now. On the demand side, the first showed the key results from the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) commissioned MORI poll of public attitudes... Continue Reading →
Good to see a broad coalition of UK organisations including AMRC issue this joint statement today urging for the ongoing revision of EU Clinical Trials Directive to culminate in less bureaucracy for funders and others when setting up and running trials. No one would argue with the need to put patient safety first but I... Continue Reading →
