Most Improved Recruitment at Royal Stoke University Hospital and Leicester Royal Infirmary

 The hard work from the teams at Royal Stoke University Hospital (formerly University Hospital of North Staffordshire) and Leicester Royal Infirmary is clearly paying off as they have become the two most improved sites for recruitment. These teams have successfully increased their 6 week recruitment by 10 patients, from 7 patients to 17 patients and 1 patient to 11 patients, respectively. Research Nurses, Holly Maguire at Royal Stoke and Ann Isaiah at Leicester explain how they have made such a great improvement.

Royal Stoke University Hospital

(L to R): Research Nurses Holly Maguire, Kay Finney and Jeanette Grocott raising trial awareness at International Clinical Trials Day.

Last year the hyperacute stroke, A&E, trauma and ITU research teams merged to form the acute research team (ART) this larger team has given us the capacity to cover extended hours and weekend working within all areas recruiting to clinical trials acutely. This has also allowed us to have a greater presence within A&E with one of the team based there between the hours of 7am - 8pm seven days a week. We have also launched the on call research rota at the end of February meaning now we are able to provide 24/7 acute research cover, which we believe is beginning to have an impact upon HALT-IT and CRASH3 recruitment as well as a number of stroke trials. Our increased presence within the A&E department has certainly increased knowledge and awareness of the HALT-IT trial and even inspired some healthy competition between A&E consultants identifying suitable patients. We have an extremely supportive and pro-active team of A&E consultants, all of whom are GCP trained and research active as well as a newcomer (Dr Chris Pickering) who was a former top HALT-IT recruiter at Royal Wolverhampton Trust (well poached). Over the past few weeks recruitment has rocketed with multiple recruits on a number of days and my team are now often referred to as the HALT-IT nurses!" - Holly Maguire.

Leicester Royal Infirmary

Back Row (L to R): Georgina Armour-Langham (Research Nurse), Ann Isaiah (Research Nurse), Liz Cadman-Moore (PA), Tim Coats (PI) Front Row (L to R): Lisa Mclelland (Clinical Research Assistant), Sophie Ellis (Research Nurse).

"As a team we focus on recruitment targets, and informing medical and nursing staff about the HALT-IT trial and encouraging them to do their online GCP or face to face training. During doctors’ induction, a 30 minute presentation is given about Research in Emergency department and how could they involve themselves. We ensure all patients/relatives are being approached and informed about the trials during working hours. A Research Café is being conducted once in three months to promote awareness to all staff and certificates are being issued for the top 3 referrers." - Ann Isaiah