Research and Development

It is the stated ambition of the NHS that all patient care should be based on robust, relevant research evidence. This research informs the way that NHS decisions about treatment and care for all patients are made.

The NHS aims to double the number of patients participating in well designed research over the next five years. These Research & Development pages will provide extensive and valuable information about research for researchers, NHS Staff and the public alike.

The Research and Development (R&D) team at NHS Norfolk hosts the research management services for the following primary care organisations:

• NHS Norfolk
• Norfolk Community Health & Care
• NHS Great Yarmouth & Waveney
• Great Yarmouth & Waveney Community Services
• NHS Suffolk
• Suffolk Community Healthcare

Around 100 projects per year are approved to run in these organisations, and provide patients and staff with the opportunity to participate in research.

The R&D office enjoys a close working relationship with the Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) in the East of England, who help to deliver PCRN adopted studies in the region. For more information on the PCRN and how to effectively run primary care research studies please visit their website.

The research pages, which are for researchers and NHS Staff alike, will provide information on how to develop your research project, funding opportunities, how patient and public involvement can help in the development of your project, what approvals are required before you can start, and what you will need to do during and after your research.

The NHS Norfolk R&D office is committed to, and has adopted, the NIHR Research Support Services. Our R&D Operational Capability Statements and Standard Operating Procedures can be found on the Research Support Services page.

GP Practices, other independent contractors and NHS Staff will find useful information on what to do if you are asked to conduct research on behalf of researchers and some Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). There is also information on what happens if you are asked to participate in research and how to develop your own research idea.

There is also information for the general public on what it means to be asked to participate in research, and how you can get involved in patient and public involvement in research.

If you are not sure where to find the information you are after, please see our I want help with... or please leave a message in the contact box and we will get back to you.