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Research

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) facilitates research of the highest quality to improve the care provided to patients and achieve the best clinical outcomes.

Research is a core component of our activity and is key to advancements in patient care.

Clinical research is an essential requirement to improve understanding of which treatments work best.

At RWT we continually strive to ensure our patients are offered early participation in suitable research as part of their treatment and care choice.

Contact the Research and Development (R&D) Directorate

  • Call us: 01902 695065
  • Email us: rwh-tr.RDadminteam@nhs.net
  • Write to us: R&D Directorate, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Building 9 (The Chestnuts), New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 0QP.

Or a member of the team:

Find out what’s been happening

There’s always so much going on with research and we like to share our good news. Click this link to visit our news pages and see all the latest stories about research.

Information for patients

During your care with us, your doctor or a member of the team looking after you may talk to you about research and ask if you would like to join a study.

You will be given written information about the study and you will be encouraged to ask questions and be given time to think about what is involved. You will then be contacted again to confirm if you would like to take part.

You don’t have to wait to be asked to take part in research; we would encourage you to ask your doctor or member of their team, if there is any research you can take part in.

You can also visit the National Institute For Health And Social Care Research (NIHR) website to find out more information about trials.

Our R&D Directorate is responsible for supporting and facilitating research and innovation throughout the organisation. This includes ensuring:

  • all research run at the Trust is ethically sound and in line with all legal requirements
  • it is delivered appropriately and safely
  • it supports the development of clinical services provided here at the Trust, supports our staff, and enhances the care and treatment of our patients

The Trust is involved in many kinds of research, across a variety of clinical specialities, including pharmaceutical drug trials, genetic research, medical device trials and questionnaire studies, to name just a few.

Research studies are run across services provided at New Cross and West Park Hospitals in Wolverhampton, Cannock Chase Hospital in Cannock, other Trust Community sites and at our GP practices.

There can be more than 150 research projects happening at the Trust at any one time, involving the following clinical specialties:

  • Oncology
  • Rheumatology
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Ophthalmology
  • Paediatrics
  • Renal
  • Dermatology
  • Respiratory
  • Gastroenterology
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Haematology
  • Maternity
  • Infectious diseases
  • Stroke
  • Critical care
  • Surgery
  • Orthopaedics

Study set-up
72 new studies confirmed
392 study amendments reviewed

Study recruitment
1,721 participants in 84 studies

New studies confirmed
2022-23 – 11 commercial, 13 non-commercial
2023-24 – 20 commercial, 52 non-commercial

RWT recruitment by managing specialty:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders 337
  • Renal disorders 270
  • Cardiovascular disease 212
  • Reproductive health 209
  • Cancer 141
  • Children 123
  • Neurological disorders 63
  • Gastroenterology 55
  • Hepatology 55
  • Anaesthesia, perioperative 45
  • Surgery 44
  • Stroke 27
  • Respiratory disorders 11
  • Critical care 11
  • Ophthalmology 3
  • Trauma and emergency care 2
  • Diabetes 2
  • Mental health 1
  • Haematology 1

Commercial/non commercial:

  • Non-commercial – 63 (81.8 per cent)
  • Commercial – 14 (18.2 per cent)

Primary study design:

  • Interventional – 41 (52.3 per cent)
  • Observational – 26 (33.8 per cent)
  • Both – 10 (13.0 per cent)

The 2023-24 research participant survey, completed by 119 participants, showed the following:

  • 87 per cent felt fully informed about the study prior to taking part
  • 88 per cent felt valued for taking part in the research study
  • 92 felt they were always treated with courtesy and respect

NIHR West Midlands Regional Research Delivery NetworkHosted by RWT since 2014, the NIHR West Midlands Regional Research Delivery Network enables the health and care system to attract, optimise and deliver research across the region.

It is one of 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks in England, working together as one organisation – the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) – with joint leadership.

Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, the RDN’s vision is for the UK to be a global leader in the delivery of high-quality research that is inclusive, accessible, and improves health and care. Contact the Network at wm.rrdn@nihr.ac.uk.