Research saves lives

As part of International Clinical Trials Day, on 20th May 2014, The Royal London Hospital (RLH), part of Barts Health NHS Trust, is inviting local residents to come and discover how medical research is transforming lives and how they can get involved. Many RLH researchers and research leads are seeking patients, carers and members of the public to contribute to the hospital’s research in a number of ways. You can:
•become a member of a steering group or committee;
•comment on or contribute to research documents (for example, information leaflets or designing questionnaires);
•become a peer reviewer of research proposals and grant applications.

Barts Health Associate Director for Engagement and Diffusion, Neeta Patel said “Patients play a key part in clinical research but so do healthy people. Public participation is vital to help us improve future treatments and our services. That’s why we are asking members of the public to come along on the day and find out more about research that is happening at their local hospital. I hope visitors will have an enjoyable day as well as discover lots about the innovative research going on across the Trust.”

Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the clinical research centre and find out more about the facilities that make a real difference to research undertaken by the Trust and how it benefits patients.  Doctors and nurses, as well as patients, researchers and external organisations (including charities) will all be on hand on the day to answer questions about research.

As well as the tours, there will be drop-in information stalls for people to find out more about healthcare research, including clinical trials undertaken within specific disease areas such as stroke or cancer as well as children’s health research stalls. The stalls will be hosted in the hospital entrance on the Ground Floor, Stepney Way.

The free tours will be held on Tuesday, 20th May 2014 at 10am, 11.30am and 2.30pm. To book a place on one of the tours email patientsinresearch@bartshealth.nhs.uk or call 020-7363 8923. Places must be booked in advance. Visitors on the day can browse stalls and take part in discussions from 9am-5pm (there is no need to book for this part of this visit).

•For full details of events being held across all sites go to http://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/research/takepart