Over 50,000 people take part in research in CRN Greater Manchester region in 2022/23

More than 50,000 people across Greater Manchester took part in health and care research supported by the NIHR over the last year.  

During the period April 2022 to March 2023, a total of 51,279 participants were involved in studies across the NIHR’s Clinical Research Network (CRN) Greater Manchester region, which covers Greater Manchester, East Cheshire and East Lancashire. That is enough people to fill the AO Arena Manchester almost two-and-a-half times. 

Participation was spread across 1,005 studies covering more than 30 health and care specialty areas, ranging from cancer and diabetes to public health and COVID-19. This number of active studies open to participants has now recovered to pre-COVID levels following unprecedented disruption to the delivery of research across the country during the pandemic. 

Participation across the NHS and increasingly in the community 

Every NHS trust in the region was part of the effort and carried out research in 2022/23, ensuring residents across all communities have opportunities to be part of research. 

Increasingly, more research is also being carried out in community locations across the region, such as supermarkets, community centres, places of worship and libraries, in order to make research even more accessible and inclusive for everyone. CRN Greater Manchester’s Research Van, complete with onboard pharmacy, and travelling Health Research Festival have been key parts of this community strategy. The latest festival takes place in Ashton-under-Lyne on Saturday 8 July 2023. 

Collaborating with the life sciences industry

A growing number of commercial studies supported by CRN Greater Manchester has opened up many new opportunities for participants, with the number increasing by almost 20% from 219 studies to 262 studies in the past year. Almost 3,450 of the total participants in the region were part of such commercial studies sponsored by the life sciences industry. 

This high level of participation in commercial studies follows-on from the major independent review of UK commercial clinical trials commissioned by Lord O’Shaunessy published in May. The report spotlighted CRN Greater Manchester by outlining how the region has “bucked the trend” in a challenging environment for UK participation in commercial trials in recent years.

Positive experiences of taking part in research 

In 2022/23, a total of 1,300 research participants completed CRN Greater Manchester’s Participant Research Experience Survey. Their responses are helping us learn what we can improve for the future. Results of our children participants survey showed that 94% would take part, or allow their children or take part, in research again. In the adult survey, 92% said they would get involved in research again.

Sarah Fallon, CRN Greater Manchester Chief Operating Officer, said: 

“We are extremely grateful to everyone who takes part in research and for the vital part they play in improving health and care for everyone. Equally, the opportunities for people to get involved would not be possible without the involvement of our partners in the health system across Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and East Cheshire. Thank you to them all. 

“Our NIHR annual statistics are an important way of showing just how many people have taken part in trials. However, there are many other ways in which members of the public are also continuing to make a difference by getting involved in research, such as by lending their experience to help design studies, or helping us to improve how we engage with different communities, or by sharing their lived experiences.

"These contributions do not appear in the stats but demonstrate that involvement in research takes many forms and we are very grateful to everyone who has contributed.” 

Interesting in taking part in research? 

People can sign-up to hear about different types of research they can get involved with in Greater Manchester by visiting Research for the Future or Be Part of Research, both of which allow people to register their interest in studies taking place locally.