February 2015

From the Clinical Research Network: South West Peninsula

Tell your research story by emailing CRN.SWP@nhs.net

CRN: SWP Twitter

Monthly e-news for the research community and

frontline research staff in the South West

Study volunteers eager to

re-join research

Innovative new radiotherapy

techniques embraced

New children's clinic room

for Cornwall

Welcome to the third issue

of the South West Clinical

Research News. We’ve

received a huge amount of

feedback for our previous

newsletters and are

delighted with the passion

for sharing the innovative

work taking place within

the region.

We enter into the second

month of 2015 with no

shortage of exciting news.

The South West continues to

demonstrate a readiness to

collaborate across

organisations, trialling new

ideas and forming

partnerships for the

betterment of our population.

This enthusiasm is only

matched by a continued thirst

for innovation. The fruits of

previous labours are really

beginning to show, with a

number of these examples

detailed later in this

publication. This really is an

inspiring time to be involved

in research.

It has also been great to see

our social media research

campaign begin this year. In

the coming months I look

forward to seeing many more

of the enthusiastic faces of

clinicians, academics,

patients and public that make

up our vibrant region, and are

behind some of the incredible

local achievements.

If you can’t wait until next

month’s issue, you can keep

up with our progress and local

news on our ever-growing

Twitter page or through our

website.

If you have good news you

would like to share, or an

event you would like

promoted please do not

hesitate to contact us by

emailing CRN.SWP@nhs.net.

Thank you

Helen Quinn

Chief Operating Officer for

CRN: SWP

Welcome!

EarlyBird recruits

are keen to

continue ground

breaking study

Musgrove Park

embraces new

radiotherapy

innovation

RCHT’s Paediatric

Research Team

win bid for

children’s room

NIHR’s Portfolio

guidance

highlighted in one

handy document

Inside this issue

www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula

Young volunteers eager for research round 3

Plymouth’s unique

‘EarlyBird’ study looking to

understand how childhood

health impacts health in

adulthood is set to continue

thanks to £500,000 in

additional funds.

The EarlyBird study began

fifteen years ago in 2000,

involving 300 five year olds

who would be tracked into

adulthood.

Candidates were

weighed, measured

and investigated to

see how their lifestyles,

diet and exercise patterns

might affect their later health –

especially diabetes.

The study is the only of its kind

in the world to have followed

the same cohort of children for

such a long period of time.

With the increase in funds, the

study organisers are now

looking to re-recruit the original

cohort members.

Two members of the original

cohort confirmed their

eagerness to continue with the

next phase of the trial.

Lauren Bullard, a 19 year old

Education Studies student at

the University of St. Mark & St.

John said: “I’m delighted to be

taking part again. It’s a really

good idea and something

which needs to carry on.”

Sean Bowden, a 19

aaaaaayear old apprentice

aaaaaaPE teacher at Tor

aaaaaBridge Primary School,

was similarly enthused,

saying: “I’m ecstatic to be

asked to take part again. As

I’ve got older I

understand more

about what it is all

about, and it is

especially important

to me because my

auntie died of

diabetes last year. I

strongly believe in EarlyBird.”

The study is led by Plymouth

University in association with

Plymouth Hospitals NHS

Trust and the Clinical

Research Network: South

West Peninsula (National

Institute for Health Research),

with active participation and

support from Nestlé Institute

of Health Sciences Ltd.

EarlyBird3 (as the newly

funded third phase will be

called) is led by Professor

Jonathan Pinkney, Professor

of Endocrinology and

Diabetes at Plymouth

University Peninsula Schools

of Medicine and Dentistry. He

aaaaaaaaasaid: “The data we

aaaaaaaaaextract from

aaaaaaaaaEarlyBird3 will

aaaaaaaaallow us to

aaaaaaainvestigate a number

aaaaaaaof hypotheses about

aaaaaaahow what happens to

aaaaus as a child relates to

our health as an adult. Not

only will this give us a better

understanding of how such

diseases develop, it will also

help us to identify methods

for disease prevention, and

when in our life development

it is best to implement those.”

This research and the data

collected has already allowed

researchers to demonstrate a

link between childhood

obesity and early onset puberty.

“it is especially

important to me

because my

auntie died of

diabetes last year”

“I’m delighted

to be taking part again.”

Previous header:

‘Ground-breaking study to continue’

Set reminder for 6 month to follow up and

cover from research success side, i.e.

western illnesses, maybe quick follow up

with participant or additional quote from

J Pinkney?

Radiotherapy innovations at

Musgrove Park Hospital

Musgrove Park

Hospital is

leading the way

as one of the first

UK hospitals to

implement an

innovative new

radiotherapy

technique.

The change in technique has been implemented after the hospital

was the first to complete the HeartSpare II trial (a clinical trial

which aims to optimise and individualise heart-sparing

radiotherapy techniques), led by the Royal Marsden Hospital and

Institute of Cancer Research - funded by the National Institute for

Health Research (NIHR).

The study demonstrated benefits to patients undergoing breast

radiotherapy using voluntary breath-holding techniques to

reduce the amount of heart tissue exposed to x-rays; the act of

breathing in pulls the heart downwards and backwards. These

techniques are now being used at Musgrove Park. Read more.

Local GP surgery wins

patient engagement

award!

A big congratulations to the

Honiton Surgery Patient

Participation Group for

receiving second place prize

in the NIHR CRN/N.A.P.P.

Research Engagement

Award for 2014. The Honiton

Group won the award by

demonstrating a ‘very

positive example of patients,

carers and the public

working together to promote

the profile of clinical

research’.

Plymouth’s exciting Men C

study collaboration

Plymouth Hospitals NHS

Trust, Public Health Teams

and local educational

establishments have joined

forces to bring a

Meningococcal Carriage

Study into schools and

colleges in the Plymouth

area. Through this new

collaboration across multiple

teams, the study which will

involve taking throat swabs

from willing teenagers will

pave the way for a new

potential way of working for

future studies.

With a study target of 1,500

recruits to be met by the end

of March 2015 it’s reported

to be all hands on deck!

Find out more about this

nationwide study here

www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula

Cornwall’s cardiac team join new stent registry

Good for web article.

Royal Cornwall Hospital’s (RCHT)

cardiac team have become the

second in the UK to sign up

patients to a new registry tracking

the performance of around 20,000

stents over the next three years.

Stents are life-savers, commonly

used to treat patients in emergency situations following a heart

attack, or in planned procedures where a blockage has been

diagnosed.

In 2001 RCHT’s Cardiac Cath Lab was the first unit in the UK

outside of a major heart surgery centre to carry out a coronary

angioplasty, the procedure to insert the stents.

Ensure follow up in next issue. What did they submit? Photos, etc.

Follow up in April – h/l board?

Proud of your

team? Promote

your

achievements

here! Email

CRN.SWP@nhs.

net

Excellent recruitment recognised for Yeovil District Hospital team!

Very well done to the YDH team who received the below message from Dr Nick Levell, Dermatology Specialty National Lead:

“I would like to say very well done on your excellent recruitment so far into this study. Your site has been highlighted by Novartis as performing excellently and this has been recognised and is appreciated. When Novartis originally outlined the Signature study at one of our National Dermatology Specialty Group meeting's we agreed that the Network could make a real difference to recruitment and your outstanding performance is helping us to prove this to Novartis.”

Our apologies for attributing this news to TSFT in our last newsletter.

The Yeovil research team were very pleased to receive a certificate of recognition from the NIHR for maximising the impact of research activity undertaken in their organisation after entering the Health Service Journal Clinical Research Impact Awards.

New child friendly clinic

room for Cornwall

Royal Cornwall

Hospital’s paediatric

research team has

successfully won a

bid to create a child

friendly clinic room.

Over the festive period

The hospital trust ran a

‘12 days of Christmas’

fundraising event, with

teams submitting bids for

ideas for extra

equipment or initiatives to enhance patient care. The paediatric

research team were successful, and thanks to the

generosity of patients, staff and visitors has

received £730 to transform an outpatient clinic

room.

In order to make the clinic room more appealing

to children it will be decorated with wall stickers,

mobiles, colourful storage boxes and a range of

distraction equipment such as bubbles, stickers and

colouring books to help create a stress-free visit.

New Lead Research Nurse

for Taunton

The CRN: SWP is delighted

to welcome Andrea Mostyn-

Jones as the new Lead

Research Nurse for TSFT.

Andrea brings a wealth of

experience with her, having

previously worked in a

number of roles, most

recently as that of Matron for

Haematology, Oncology,

Radiotherapy, and Palliative

care at Taunton’s Beacon

Centre.

DRIVE Project

The collaborative DRIVE

Project between CRN: SWP

and SW Academic Health

aScience Network is on

aaatrack, with the aim to

aaaareduce variations in

aaaa research delivery aaaa

aaaaaacross the region

aaaaregion. More here.

aaaNew website!

aCFT have a glossy new

research website, visit here.

CFT website (could move

to page before)

Local news – or give link if necessary to have mix of news

The ‘RESEARCH’ social media

campaign is here!

As introduced in our December issue, the

research letters are now touring the

South West, snapping pictures with

research teams, clinicians, academics,

patient groups and the public to

help raise awareness

of the great research

taking place.

Email

CRN.SWP@nhs.net

to see how you

and your team can

get involved!

www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula

National round up

Join Dementia Research (JDR) is a national project aiming to

improve dementia care by increasing the number of people

involved in dementia research and increasing the co-

ordination, speed and efficiency of the CRN.

Enthusiasm in the South West has been picking up

speed, with 84 volunteers now signed up, 28 of

which have been matched to local studies.

One matched patient has already been recruited

into the IDEAL study which aims to improve the

experience of dementia enhancing an active life.

The national launch of the project is will take place on

Tuesday 24 February, so expect to hear plenty more in the

coming months.

People of any health and age are welcome to sign up. Would

you like to join the fight against dementia? Sign up today:

www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk

Young people set to change the future of mental

health research The NIHR CRN: Mental Health ran a unique event on 29

January 2015 focused around the importance of research into

the mental health of young people. The event held in London,

was organised by the network’s Young People’s Advisory

Group comprising 14 members aged between 16-24.

Attracting a wide range of speakers and engaging attendees

in topical discussion, it was lauded as a success by

attendees. Expect to see more in the future! Read more here.

Spotlight on key policies

The NIHR CRN have released a

policy highlight notice to draw

attention to the key policies and

guidance available in supporting

aaathe CRN Portfolio. This

aaaaaaincludes information on

aaaaaaaeligibility, cost

aaaaaaaaattribution, multi-

aaaaaaaaaspecialty studies and

aaaaaaaaaconsent. Click here

aaaaaaaaato access the notice.

Aaaaaaa Impact of new

aaaaaaaCRN Coordinating

aaaaaCentre contract

Dr Jonathan Sheffield has

written a letter to stakeholders

detailing the new NIHR CRN

CC’s five year contract, and

what effects these changes may

have. To read the letter click

here.

Do you have a research

suggestion?

The NIHR’s Evaluation, Trials

and Studies (NETS) programme

is seeking suggestions for

research to meet the needs of

healthcare professionals,

patients and the public.

Find out more here.

South West Emergency Academic Team

(SWEAT) Conference

Thursday 5 March

Somerset County Cricket Club, Taunton

Attend this free emergency healthcare event to

network, learn more about research and

showcase your work. CEM approved, 5 CPD

Points.

To book place email: sweat2015@gmail.com

NIHR Regional Meeting - London: Celebrating

Clinical Research Nursing 2015

Monday 2 March, 09:30-15:45

St George’s Hospital, London

Practicing NIHR Clinical Research Nurses are

invited to attend this event to network and hear from

a number of key speakers. Spaces are limited,

book a place here by no later than 23 February.

www.nihr.crn.ac.uk/swpeninsula

In the news international quality.

These results have been

published as a part of a

report released by the

Research Excellence

Framework (REF). Read

the full story covered by

the Evening Herald here.

Exeter research

published in

American Journal of

Medicine Research carried out by

the University of Exeter

Medical School,

and the

psychology

departments

of the

University

of Exeter

and the

University of

Southampton

has now been

published in the

American Journal of Medicine.

The research looked at

how doctors who

unintentionally

communicate to patients

that they do not believe

or understand them can

actually make their

symptoms worse.

Described as a ‘nocebo’

response, the research

indicated that this

breakdown in

communication could

aaaaaa result in anger,

aaaaaaaa distress and

aaaaaaaaaa physiological

aaaaaaaaaaa conditions

aaaaaaaaaaaa that

aaaaaaaaaaaaawould

aaaaaaaaaaaaaworsen

aaaaaaaaaaaaaillness.

aaaaaaaaaaaaRead

aaaaaaaaaaamore here.

£1.2 million

received for new

medical research

teaching facilities Plymouth University

have been awarded

£1.2million to build

new teaching

facilities, in addition to

the recently

announced new £13

million research

building.

The funding was

received from the

Higher Education

Funding Council for

England (HEFCE),

and once the facilities

are complete the

Biomedical and

Human Bioscience

teams will move to

the Plymouth Science

Park site.

Read more here.

Cornwall Research

Forum Thursday 9 April

10:15-15:15

Knowledge Spa, RCHT

Attend for a chance to

network and see a

showcase of local

research. Keynote

speakers include Dr

Jonathan Sheffield and

Prof Steve Thornton.

Contact Michelle Hill

Research Site

Initiative

(RSI)/Sessional

Scheme Practices

Meeting Tuesday 10 March

12:15-16:00

Exeter Racecourse

Attend for a chance to

learn more about

research in primary care

and participate in

discussions.

Contact Debbie Brown

Parkinson’s

research event Friday 6 March

11:00-16:00

Plymouth Science

Park

Patients and carers

are invited to attend for

an opportunity to hear

about Parkinson’s

research in the South

West and how to get

involved.

Contact CRN: SWP

Next issue due

out in March

2015!

Send your

stories and

events to CRN.SWP@nhs.net

Exeter University &

The Alzheimer's

Society join forces The Alzheimer's Society has launched a new dementia-focussed Doctoral Training Centre at the University of Exeter. This centre will support eight PhD students to investigate the effect of dementia on the brain's neural networks.

University’s research

quality recognised Plymouth University

has been recognised

for the quality of its

clinical research, with

around 80 per cent of

research conducted at

the university

recognised as world-

leading or of