Project Lead(s)
Prof Dean Harris
ContactThanks to the funding Moondance has provided I now have the team and I have the time. Without both these things, we wouldn't have been able to develop this network we are now building across Wales, the UK, and the rest of the world to improve outcomes for bowel cancer patients
Dr Simone Sebastiani ― Consultant Colorectal Surgeon
Research shows that cancer units with higher rates of clinical research activity achieve overall better outcomes for patients than units that are less research-active. This relationship is particularly clear for bowel cancer.
Through this innovative and ambitious project, Dean Harris worked with colleagues in Hywel Dda, Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Boards, to support them to become more research active. The work focused on introducing the roles of 'Research Champion' and 'Research Co-ordinator' to the endoscopy units and cancer MDTs to create the organisational capacity and processes needed to increase the number of bowel cancer patients offered the chance to participate in clinical trials.
The clinicians who undertook the Research Champion role were allocated two ring-fenced sessions a week to act as a Principle Investigator on a number of studies, develop their own research portfolio and promote the benefits of research participation to NHS staff.
This activity was supported by the work of the Research Co-ordinator who engaged with patients, discussing research, and increasing the number of patients participating in clinical studies, forged relationships with multidisciplinary teams within the health board, and contributed to the management and monitoring of trial patients.
Over two years these roles proved highly successful in increasing the number of patients involved in research at the three sites:
- Hywel Dda increased participation from 41 to 997 patients
- Betsi Cadwaladr from 0 to 702
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg from 0 to 530
Over the same period the three health boards also collectively increased the number of trials that they had open from 22 to 43.
A contributing factor to this success was the shift in culture that the roles facilitated within the health boards, normalising research for both staff and patients. A critical element to this were the bimonthly meetings that the Research Champions and Co-ordinators established, and which became a peer-mentoring network where best practice, support to address challenges and information about new trials could all be shared.
These meetings also led to development events such as the Colorectal Research and Trial Engagement Training Day, held on February 10th 2023, and which brought together the teams involved in the project and professionals from across the UK. The event provided educational information for members of the colorectal teams about the different aspects of research; from funding and grant applications, to available support and key case studies which highlight the challenges of setting up and taking part in studies. Presentations from the day can be found here.
The success of this work highlights the value in ring-fencing time for people, whether that is allocated sessions per week, or full-time roles. Creating the time and capacity for medical professionals to focus on research will enable them to engage their colleagues in the benefits of research, open more trials and recruit more patients to studies , all of which contributes to cancer patients in Wales having a better experience and better cancer outcomes.
