Research and Development
Clinical Trials Unit
Established in April 2007, the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) is housed in C Block on the Arrowe Park Hospital site. The manager of the CTU, Professor Rod Owen, also serves as the R&D Manager for the Trust. The CTU currently provides office space for administrators, data co-ordinators and research nurses from the Cancer, DenDron, Medicines for Children, Primary Care and Stroke Research Networks. It was anticipated from the outset that the most effective way to increase patient accrual to trials would be to have a single Unit, with Network staff sharing facilities with the CTU Team. This ‘model’ has proved very successful; particularly in enabling high levels of recruitment to a number of paediatric studies through liaison with local GPs and Research Nurses based in the CTU.
The Unit is tasked with generating income from commercially funded research and is also required to maximise patient recruitment to clinical trials adopted onto the National Institute of Health Research as 'Portfolio' studies. Additionally, the CTU actively promotes research across the Trust and provides Research Governance & ICH-GCP Training (jointly with Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology).
The CTU Team are responsible for all aspects of project set-up – from contract negotiation, assisting with IRAS applications to obtaining Trust R&D approval The Trust does not act as a sponsor for any trials involving medicinal products or devices, but will sponsor (or co-sponsor) non-interventional studies. The Trust endorses and has adopted the ABPI-NHS ‘generic’ CTA (and the CRO version) as well as the Industry Costing Template for UK commercial Sponsors, but has a flexible approach to non-UK Sponsors who wish to use their own Agreements. However, all Agreements must stipulate that ABPI Guidelines will be followed when determining compensation for participants in commercially sponsored clinical trials, and English law must govern all Agreements
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Arrowe Park Hospital, Arrowe Park Road, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE
Switchboard: (0151) 678 5111