Exemplar Programme details

The programmes put in place by the NIHR Clinical Research Network are starting to deliver significant improvements to research infrastructure, creating new capacity and capability for research in the UK.

The North West Exemplar Programme has been set up to showcase these improvements and demonstrate the improved clinical trial performance that is possible when the NIHR Clinical Research Network, the NHS and partners in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries work closely together on study set up and delivery.

The Programme was initiated by the NIHR/NHS Biopharmaceutical Industry R&D Leadership Forum to collect evidence of the improving environment for clinical research. The case study learning from the Programme will be disseminated as part of plans to spread good practice across the rest of the NHS and NIHR. 

Twenty industry sponsored studies that have been adopted to the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio have been selected to become Exemplar studies. Progress through study set up and delivery at the research sites in the North West is being closely monitored and each study will report a standard set of key performance indicators and metrics, including:

• Time from validation of R&D form to NHS permission at first site 
• Time from validation of SSI form to NHS Permission
• Time from validation of R&D form to first patient-first visit
• Time from NHS Permission to first patient-first visit
• Delivery to planned time and recruitment target (study and site level)
• Time taken to agree costings. 

Metrics will also be gathered on all other NIHR industry portfolio studies taking place within North West sites, to ensure that all studies conform to the same performance standards

Studies will be measured against ABPI and European comparator metrics to demonstrate UK competitiveness using NIHR Clinical Research Network and NHS initiated best practice.

A report on Phase 1 of the North West Exemplar Programme covering R&D set-up will be published at the end of June 2010.

Last updated: 1 October 2009