International Clinical Trials Week - 20th May 2019#WhyWeDoResearch? It’s only through research that we can develop better treatments and care, as well as improve diagnosis and prevention.

As a result undertaking research and implementing findings is encouraged and promoted across the Trust. Last year in 2018-19, we here at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) achieved and exceeded our research participant recruitment target. We are currently in the Top 10 Care Trusts for number of research studies in the National Institute for Health Research Activity League Table.

What can NHS staff do to be part of researchThe clinical study ‘Planned investigation, assessment & evaluation of the use of music-based interventions in the community hospital setting’ is an example of Research funded and led by SCFT. The study ran for six months and was undertaken at a Community Hospital by the Dementia Lead/Nurse Consultant. This partnership project was joint-funded and delivered by the charity wishingwellmusic.org.uk and included a film maker who made a film of the impact of the research project. This study was recently featured at a Music & Wellness event at Brighton Museum.

Following on from this a funding pot of £5,000 was awarded by the regional Dementia Care Improvement Network to Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust to enable a 15 week support programme integrating music into the patient care and rehabilitation process followed by six months mentorship for musical ‘champions’ to continue the work at various SCFT sites.

Musicians from the Rhythmix Wishing Well programme recently visited Viking Ward at Crawley Hospital. In a report in the local press, Lucy Scragg our Deputy Chief Nurse said: “Being in hospital can be a difficult experience for people so we want to do everything possible to make their experience a positive one. We know that musical therapy provides all sorts of benefits for patients and the people caring for them. We hope to roll this out to our other inpatient units to help us continue to deliver excellent care at the heart of the community.”

The future integration of the programme more widely into SCFT working life depends on identifying research champions.

All clinical staff are encouraged to participate in research, as it is an excellent opportunity to learn new skills. You can get involved in a number of ways:

Design and carry out your own research project

Join a multi-site study on the NIHR Database

Collaborate in commercially funded research

Become a key contact in your service for research

Check our research webpage for more info & useful links or email: sc-tr.research@nhs.netYou can follow us on twitter @sct_research and facebook @sctresearchThe next SCFT Research Conference for will look at ‘Research evidence into Practice’ – date and details are to be confirmed. Watch this space!

What patients and members of the public can do to be part of research?To mark International Clinical Trials Week, the National Institute for Health Research is launching its new ‘Be Part of Research’ campaign. The campaign aims to encourage patients, carers and the public to get involved in research and will coincide with the launch of the new ‘Be Part of Research’ website (formerly the UK Clinical Trials Gateway), which will allow service users to search for opportunities to participate in research. ‘Be Part of Research’ is the only national campaign across the world to promote clinical research directly to patients.

What patients and members of the public can do to be part of research:

● Ask their health or social care professional about taking part in research

● Visit Be Part of Research to discover research taking place locally

● Help us beat dementia by registering their interest in dementia research● Suggest an idea for research

● Help us spread the word about research by becoming a Patient Research Ambassador

● Look for an involvement opportunity on People in Research

Research changes Lives!