Devon GP practice recognised for its “excellence” in offering patients research opportunities

A local GP practice has won an award for demonstrating excellence and innovation in delivering clinical research to its patients.

Claremont Medical Practice, in Exmouth, has been announced the winner of the ‘Research Practice Award’ in the national research awards run jointly by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

The awards recognise research active NHS GPs and general practices that are demonstrating excellence and innovation in delivering NIHR research.

Applicants were required to outline their contribution to research studies with particular weight being attached to the range and number of patients in studies; how patients have been engaged and informed of new opportunities to participate in clinical research; and their contribution and innovative methods used in the successful delivery of clinical research studies.

Lisa Gibbons, GP partner at the award-winning practice, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the RCGP Research Practice of the year award. As a practice we have made a team effort to dedicate more time and resources to our research work which has become embedded in the fabric of the care we deliver and which was commended by Care Quality Commission (CQC).

“We are very grateful to our patients who participate in research and the wider research conversations. We feel privileged to be able to offer our patients an opportunity to take part in research which can shape and influence their care and medical conditions.”
As part of the application process the applicants had to set out what activities they planned to carry out in the future to improve research delivery.

“We have recently created a bespoke research room which is welcoming to patients and which is dedicated to Sir Denis Pereira Gray, an inspirational GP researcher from the South West,” said Dr Gibbons.

“We have adopted an outward-facing, collaborative approach and we work with local research teams, local practices and the clinical research network to bring research to our community. We are also involving our nurse and GP trainees, students and newly qualified doctors in research to be able to inspire the next generation of primary care researchers. We are delighted that this award recognises our team effort in increasing primary care research.”

Since its inception in 2006, the NIHR has significantly increased the scale of clinical research in the NHS, particularly through the NIHR Clinical Research Network. The engagement of NHS clinicians is an essential condition for sustaining and building on this success; particularly given the many competing demands on clinician time and resources.

Helen Quinn, Chief Operating Officer and Lead for Nursing at the NIHR Clinical Research Network South West Peninsula, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and very well-deserved. The contribution that the Claremont Practice team has made to clinical research is very worthy of celebration – by providing their patients with opportunities to take part in the latest clinical trials they are giving them access to the very latest treatments and technologies.

"We know that patients cared for in a research-active setting have better health outcomes and we are proud to support many local practices, including Claremont, to deliver research to patients in the South West.”

The awards were presented during the Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) Annual Conference in Glasgow.