Background

The UK has a strong history in clinical research and the healthcare industry has made a significant contribution to this track record through the conduct of its research and development programmes in the NHS. Such research has benefited both patients and the NHS workforce by providing early access to state of the art therapies and technologies.

However, it is widely recognised that there exists increasing concern within the healthcare industry about the difficulties faced in initiating and conducting research in the UK. Such concerns have been highlighted in the following reports:

The importance of the healthcare industry’s contribution to the health of the nation is highlighted in the Department of Health’s recent strategy document, "Best Research for Best Health", in which the Department emphasises the commitment of the NHS, and other key organisations contributing to the UK clinical research environment (e.g. regulatory bodies), to productive collaboration with industry in order to ensure that the UK retains its global position as a preferred clinical research location.

UKCRN has established a dedicated industry team to address some of these concerns.