Getting involved in research
Research is really important because it enables us to increase our knowledge and understanding so we can provide the best possible treatments for patients both now and in the future. Without support from our patients, whether it is taking part in research, helping formulate studies or promoting the research we do, we would be unable to do this vital work.
It may benefit you, or others like you, in the future. If you take part in research, you may be one of the first people to benefit from a new treatment.
Almost all decisions about your care and treatment are made on the basis of research done in the past. Your contribution will make a real difference.
Taking part in research helps the hospital to make sure our staff are at the forefront of knowledge in their field or specialty.
How can I get involved in research?
You may be approached by your doctor or nurse and invited to take part in a research study. You can also ask if there is any research you can be involved in. If you agree to hearing more about taking part one of our staff will explain the study to you.
If you do not want to take part, your treatment will not be affected in any way. If you say yes, you can change your mind at any time and withdraw from the study.
You can also become a patient or a lay adviser to research teams and get actively involved in their work, giving your advice on the different stages of investigation and related activities.
This might involve:
• giving feedback on plans for how to carry out a new study
• helping to write and review patient information leaflets
• helping shape how study results are communicated at the end of a study.
Patient Research Ambassadors
A Patient Research Ambassador is someone who promotes health research from a patient point of view. They could be a patient, service user, carer or lay person who is enthusiastic about health research and is willing to communicate that to other patients, the public, as well as other healthcare professionals.
Read our Patient Research Ambassador story or sign up.
What will I be asked to do?
Most research studies are designed so that patients are only asked to do a couple of things in addition to their normal treatment. You may be asked to fill in a questionnaire, provide an extra blood sample or attend an extra clinic appointment.
Some studies are more complex, but everything will be fully explained to you before you agree to take part. If you need to attend extra clinics or travel further than normal for your treatment we may be able to pay your travel expenses.
Can I find out the results of the research?
Your research team will be able to provide you with feedback and we will feature some studies on the QVH website. As research is of national importance it will be published in medical and nursing journals – the team can tell you more.
Your personal data will be held anonymously. It will not be possible to identify individual patients in any publication.
Is the research well designed, ethical and safe?
The QVH Research and Innovation Department oversees and manages studies undertaken at the hospital. This is done in collaboration with the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Local Clinical Research Network. It makes sure that all research is conducted to a high scientific and ethical standard and complies with good clinical practice guidelines. All our patient research has been approved by a Research Ethics Committee and the Health Research Authority (HRA). It looks at the study from the patients’ point of view and ensures participants are not exposed to unnecessary risk or inconvenience.
Read more about the HRA’s role.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Research and Innovation Team. Tel: 01342 414573 Email: sarah.dawe2@nhs.net
How we use your data
As an NHS organisation we use personally-identifiable information to conduct research to improve health, care and services. As a publicly-funded organisation, we have to ensure that it is in the public interest when we use personally-identifiable information from people who have agreed to take part in research. This means that when you agree to take part in a research study, we will use your data in the ways needed to conduct and analyse the research study. Your rights to access, change or move your information are limited, as we need to manage your information in specific ways in order for the research to be reliable and accurate. If you withdraw from the study, we will keep the information about you that we have already obtained. To safeguard your rights, we will use the minimum personally-identifiable information possible.
Health and care research should serve the public interest, which means that we have to demonstrate that our research serves the interests of society as a whole. We do this by following the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research
Find out more about the standards the NHS Health Research Authority sets for NHS organisations to protect the privacy of patients and comply with the law here
Want to know more?
Email the Research and Innovation Team who will be happy to help
Have you been involved in research here at QVH?
By sharing your views and giving feedback about research you have been involved in, it can help us with future projects.
Want to join us?
Research in the news
Our values
Our values are humanity, continuous improvement of care and pride, under-pinned by quality.
Research and innovation annual report
Our reputation
Best for patients:
We were judged by patients as one of the best hospitals in the country in the most recent national inpatient survey.
Low infection rates:
QVH has one of the lowest rates in the country for hospital acquired infections and scored 9.5 out of 10 for the cleanliness of wards in the most recent national inpatient survey.
Respecting your privacy:
QVH scored 9.8 out of 10 for being given enough privacy when being examined or treated in the most recent national inpatient survey.
Complaints
If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer who will investigate the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data in a way that is not lawful you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).