Summary
The network will merge to cover a wider geographical area across the north west.
As of 1 October, 2024 the Greater Manchester branch of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN) will be known by a new name.
It will merge with the North West Coast branch to cover the Integrated Care Systems of Cheshire and Merseyside, Greater Manchester, and Lancashire and South Cumbria, to become the North West Regional Research Delivery Network (NW RRDN).
All Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs) will become Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs) and are mapped according to NHS England regional office boundaries, the ICSs operating within the regions and most local authority boundaries.
This will provide even more focus on regional collaboration, influence and development with the local NHS and care system, to meet the needs of people within a region, while facilitating joint working.
However, the networks will continue to deliver the best research experience for residents and will continue to work with current and future GP partners with as little disruption as possible.
Their current research offers are as follows:
Physical activity support for people with heart failure – This is a study for GPs or practice nurses to take part in, it is not for patients.
The study seeks to understand the experiences of GPs and nurses in discussing physical activity with people with heart failure, and the barriers and enablers to doing so. Understanding what physical activity advice is best for people with heart failure is important to patients and is under-researched.
Skills for Adolescent WELLbeing (SWELL) – The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a preventive psychological intervention involving a weekly online CBT group for adolescents (aged 13-19) at elevated risk of depression.
As parental depression may reduce the effectiveness of CBT interventions for depression in young people, this study will also involve the trial team offering treatment optimisation for parents who are depressed at the start of the trial.
MORE-KARE – The study team is testing whether KARE therapy (three 40-minute infusions 0.8mg/kg ketamine plus seven sessions of mindfulness-based relapse prevention therapy) has any effect on alcohol use at six months (180 days) following the start of treatment in participants with severe alcohol use disorder, compared to a comparator (0.05mg/kg ketamine and alcohol education).
Our primary interest is whether participants treated with KARE therapy show a reduction in harmful alcohol use. Secondary outcomes will also look at other changes in alcohol use, social functioning and mental health.
INDIGO Community – The study uses questionnaires to help understand how a patient feels about their quality of life and experiences of care. Using a digital survey tool, the study hopes to run a project that will help understand more about the lives of patients after treatment for cancer. They plan to see which patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) allow participants to express their quality of life, as rated by the participants. The study will also explore how to keep the amount of time and effort needed to complete the questionnaires as low as possible.
A full list of all available studies in general practice can be found on the NIHR Primary Care Research Hub.
You can also get in touch with the team by emailing: nw.rrdn@nihr.ac.uk
More information about clinical research and the work of NW RRDN can be found on the PCB website.
Notes of interest:
PANORAMIC study learnings are key to pandemic preparedness – an article has been published stating that more consideration should be given to primary care studies from the very start of any pandemic, to prevent worsening of a patient’s symptoms and reduce hospital admission.
Research active GPs enabling more local participation – An article published on the NIHR’s website, shows the importance of the role GPs can play in participating in research and making it accessible to the local population.
