University of Manchester hospital picks up best clinical research site award

A research team at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital (RMCH) has been named Clinical Research Site of the year in the Pharma Times Awards.

Representatives from the National Institute for Health Research/Wellcome Trust Children's Clinical Research Facility (NIHR/WT CCRF) and the Medicines for Children Research Network are in the lineup of specialsits.

The NIHR/WT CCRF was the first unit of its kind in the north west and is one of very few across the UK. After opening in November 2009, it has gone on to carry out all kinds of clinical research and works closely with children and families.

Carole Beane, Laura Crowther and Dr Nick Webb received the award on behalf of the team, which also includes Sarah Ehtisham, Sarah Rickard, Kathryn McBride and Jess Nichols.

The honour was jointly sponsored by the Department of Health's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).

The team collected a trophy and a cheque for £500 to spend on research activities. It beat 39 other entries to the award.

Dr Louise Wood, deputy director of research infrastructure and growth, research and development directorate at the Department of Health, said:"The Research Site of the Year competition is important because it demonstrates the progress being made by the NHS in initiating and delivering commercial research.

"The joint sponsorship of the award by the NIHR and ABPI reflects the partnership working between industry and the NHS, which we believe will maximise the opportunities and impact of NIHR investment in research infrastructure, the processes and tools we've co-developed with industry."

Other categories in the competition include: clinical trial administrator, clinical research associate, project manager, team leader, and clinical research team of the year.

Bob Pearson, medical director at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said that the award is a testament to the "huge contribution" made by young patients treated at the hospital.

Posted by Ben Evans