The Government wishes to see a dramatic and sustained improvement in the performance of providers of NHS services in initiating and delivering clinical research.  The aim is to increase the number of patients who have the opportunity to participate in research and to enhance the nation’s attractiveness as a host for research.

For clinical trials, the National Institute of Health Research  (NIHR) will publish outcomes against agreed benchmarks, including an initial benchmark of 70 days or less from the time a provider of NHS services receives a valid research application* to the time when that provider recruits the first patient for that study.

In future, NIHR funding to providers of NHS services will become conditional on meeting benchmarks, including the 70-day benchmark to recruit first patients for trials.

We have to provide data on our Performance in Initiating Clinical Research and in the Performance in Delivering Clinical Research to the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility on a quarterly basis.

To review this information please select the link for the quarter you wish to view from the drop down menu below. 

Performance in initiating and delivering research