Trust Consultant appointed as Director for new NIHR West Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network
Date of release: 8 February 2024
Professor Matthew Brookes, a Consultant Gastroenterologist at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), has been appointed as Director of a new research network in the region.
Professor Matthew Brookes
Professor Brookes said today he was “honoured and immensely privileged” to be given the opportunity to lead the new West Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network when it launches in October.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) will comprise 12 new Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs), hosted by NHS organisations the length and breadth of the country, covering all English regions. RWT will be the RRDN host for the West Midlands.
Professor Brookes, who will take up the role in April, said: “This is an incredible opportunity to extend research delivery in primary, community and social care settings, which will make it easier for patients to access cutting-edge treatments and innovative technologies and models of care, through research. I am honoured and immensely privileged to be taking the lead on this through my new role as Director.
“Our aims and ambitions as the NIHR RDN will build on the invaluable work of the Clinical Research Network over the last ten years. It is a tribute to the many dedicated Network staff that we are now in a position to move forward with our plans to boost support for delivery of the vital research that meets the health and care needs of the population.”
Dr Brian McKaig, RWT Chief Medical Officer, said: “The West Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network presents a fantastic opportunity to improve and enhance the effective delivery of relevant, inclusive and collaborative research in all health and care settings across the region.
“We are delighted that Professor Brookes is going to be at the vanguard of these new arrangements for supporting the successful delivery of the highest quality research. He will play a key role in the joint leadership function, which will balance regional context, expertise and leadership with national co-ordination and strategy.”
The new NIHR RDN will support the country’s world-class research system to deliver high quality studies that enable the best care for patients and the public. It will work across the health and care system, with staff in all settings, to support the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of research. This will benefit people receiving care now and in the future. It will support the NHS and care services and generate benefits for the economy in the UK.
The new RDN, working with the wider system, will enhance equality of opportunity for people to get involved in research, no matter who they are or where they live.
It will enable research activity to follow patient and service user need, ensuring research is conducted in communities living with the greatest disease burden, in collaboration with patients, carers and the public, investigators and study sites.
