NHS Lanarkshire’s Strategic R&D Aim is to maximise the level of high-quality, NHS Ethics-approved research being carried out within NHS Lanarkshire for the benefit of our patients, staff and the organisation as a whole. Read our full R&D Strategy document below:

• Research & Development Strategy 2023-2026

Research & Development (R&D) Office

The R&D Office can assist researchers with all elements of research governance including prompt study initiation, study design, NHS REC submission, local review of studies, contact negotiations, human resources issues / Letters of Access / Honorary Research Contracts, liaising with local services, tracking recruitment and research financial management.

Clinical Trials Pharmacy

NHS Lanarkshire employs a dedicated Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist who oversees all pharmacy aspects of clinical trials involving medicines hosted by the Board.

This includes commercial and academic Phase 2 – 4 Studies, International Studies, IMP management during project & supporting documents, Pharmacy Site Initiation and associated tasks.

This is a key role in the development of NHS Lanarkshire’s clinical trials portfolio, and ensures consistency of practice across the three hospital Pharmacies, all of which provide direct support for trials.

Clinical Trials Nurse / Practitioner / Data Manager Support

Clinical Trials are supported by a network of Clinical Trials Nurses / Practitioners and Data Managers.
These posts are funded by a combination of Chief Scientist Office (CSO), regional and national Research Network, research grant and commercial research funding.

In addition, NHS Lanarkshire has in place a Clinical Trials Staff Bank; this provides the flexibility to allow us to respond quickly to requests for additional short-term or start-up support for clinical trials, as well as for providing staff on longer-term contracts.

NMAHP Practice Development

NHS Lanarkshire’s NMAHP Practice Development Centre provides support for Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals carrying out research, and provide a written guide for staff – the NMAHP Research Starter Pack.

In particular, support and advice is provided for NMAHP staff who are carrying out research as part of an educational qualification.

NHS Lanarkshire currently has thirteen NMAHP Consultants whose role includes conducting research in their own area, and supporting NMAHP colleagues.

The Director of the NMAHP Practice Development Centre represents NMAHPs on the Board’s R&D Governance Committee, and provides professional supervision for the Clinical Trials Nurses.

Senior R&D Facilitator
Lorraine Quinn
Tel: 01236 712445
Email: lorraine.quinn@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

• Consultant Radiologists with dedicated research sessions
• Three hospital departments equipped for plain radiographs, ultrasound, CT and MRI scanning
• Access to Glasgow Clinical Research Facility for additional scans, such as PET

Each hospital (Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw) is served by a fully staffed and equipped Radiology Department. There are approximately 360,000 radiological examinations carried out per annum in NHS Lanarkshire, and each hospital is staffed and equipped for plain radiographs, ultrasound, CT and MRI scanning.  

In common with the other Boards in the West of Scotland, NHS Lanarkshire has an option to carry out additional scans, including PET scans, at the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility, should local capacity prove to be problematic for individual studies.

There is a nominated Consultant Radiologists in each hospital with dedicated research sessions for supporting clinical trials e.g. reviewing protocols, reporting to RECIST criteria and carrying out trial related investigations.

• Research-active Consultant Cardiologists
• West of Scotland Optimal Reperfusion Centre (two Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories)
• Dedicated Clinical Trials Nurse support

Each hospital (Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw) delivers excellent standards of cardiovascular disease management, further enhanced by the Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for Coronary Heart Disease.

Hairmyres Hospital hosts the Cardiac Catheterisation Centre (West of Scotland’s Optimal Reperfusion Centre) which serves people who live in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire and consisting of two state-of-the-art catheterisation laboratories for diagnosis and treatment of blood vessel blockages around the heart.

In addition, the Nuclear Medicine Department is based at Monklands Hospital, with Cardiac MRI investigations being performed at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

In total, there are 11 very experienced Consultant Cardiologists, with a range of specialisms including:

• heart failure
• interventional cardiology
• atrial fibrillation

Seven Cardiologists are currently involved as Principal or Co-Investigators in a range of cardiovascular clinical trials (commercial and non-commercial) looking at cardiovascular outcomes, including TIMI trials and Catheter Lab studies.

NHS Lanarkshire recently appointed a research-active Cardiologist with Heart Failure experience, and we will seek to expand our research portfolio into that area.

Support is provided by Cardiac Technicians who perform a range of cardiac investigations including ECGs, Exercise Tolerance Tests, Echocardiograms, Pacemaker checks, 24hr Cardiac Tapes, 24hr Blood Pressure monitoring.

• Consultant Respiratory Physicians with Career research Fellowships
• Dedicated Clinical Trials Nurse support
• Formal Glasgow University and West of Scotland Respiratory Clinical Trials Network links

Two of our Consultant Respiratory Physicians were recently awarded Chief Scientist Office funded NRS Career Research Fellowships, confirming this as a key development area with great potential to deliver successful recruitment and completion. Both are very experienced airways researchers, each with PhD’s in this area and previous experience running phase 3 respiratory clinical trials.

We have also have formal links with the University of Glasgow as part of the West of Scotland Respiratory Clinical Trials Network, and have the support of other Respiratory Consultants in Lanarkshire, who also have experience as investigators in respiratory clinical trials.

The team is complimented by specialist Respiratory Technicians and the presence of a dedicated Clinical Trials Nurse.

• Beatson Cancer Centre Consultant Oncologists
• Research-active Consultant Haematologists and Consultant Surgeons
• Research-active Nurse-Consultant in Cancer Care
• Close links with the West of Scotland Cancer Research Network
• Dedicated Cancer Clinical Trials Nurses and Data Managers

Cancers services are provided in all three acute hospitals; Consultant Oncology cover is provided via visiting Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre clinicians, who work alongside NHS Lanarkshire Consultant Surgeons and Physicians; together, they form a group of seven experienced Consultant Principal Investigators more than 20 academic and clinical trials actively recruiting or in follow-up.

Inpatient Haematological care is centralised in the specialised inpatient ward at Monklands Hospital, and day case / outpatient care is provided at all three acute hospitals within NHS Lanarkshire.  

Our team of nine Consultant Haematologists are highly research-active across all haematological tumour groups, with a current portfolio of 12 non-commercial and 2 commercial haematology trials open to recruitment.  

Key support for cancer clinical trials is provided by our Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist, and a dedicated team of four Cancer Clinical Trials Nurses and three Data Managers, all of whom work closely with the West of Scotland Cancer Research Network.

Our Nurse-Consultant in Cancer Care, in addition to providing support for the above elements of the cancer trials portfolio, is also particularly research-active and has close ties with the University of Dundee.

• Multi-disciplinary, research active Stroke Managed Clinical Network
• Dedicated Clinical Trials Nurse support
• Close links with the Scottish Stroke Research Network

Research and Development (R&D) has always been a core element of the work of the Lanarkshire Stroke Managed Clinical Network (MCN).   

As well as supporting local staff in carrying out research activities in local priority areas, the Stroke MCN works very closely with the Scottish Stroke Research Network (SSRN) to support research studies and clinical trials that they adopt.  

To help support that work, the SSRN has provided funding for one and a half (whole time equivalent) Stroke Research Nurses who work across all three hospitals recruiting to SSRN-adopted studies.

The Stroke MCN R&D Group meet quarterly to discuss current and proposed research projects active within the Stroke Service in Lanarkshire.

• Multi-disciplinary, research active Diabetes Managed Clinical Network
• Dedicated Clinical Trials Nurse support
• Close links with the Scottish Diabetes Research Network

Research and Development (R&D) has always been a core element of the work of the Lanarkshire Diabetes Managed Clinical Network (MCN). The Diabetes MCN works very closely with the Scottish Diabetes Research Network (SDRN) to support research studies and clinical trials that they adopt.

To help support that work, the SDRN provides part-funding for a Diabetes Research Nurse, and this is supplemented by addition funding from NHS Lanarkshire’s CSO allocation.

The Diabetes MCN supports SDRN-adopted non-commercial studies, local research, and is becoming increasingly active in supporting a number of commercially-funded drug studies.

Recruitment to both commercial and non-commercial studies has been recognised by Sponsors as being excellent.

The Diabetes MCN R&D Group meet quarterly to discuss current and proposed research projects active within the Diabetes Service in Lanarkshire.

• Research-active Consultant Dermatologists
• Centralised service for NHS Lanarkshire
• Dedicated Cancer Clinical Trials Nurses and Data Managers

Dermatology services have specialised in-patient facilities at Monklands, with out-patient clinical hosted at all three hospitals.

The Consultant Dermatologists have been research-active for many years the recent allocation of an experienced, dedicated Clinical Trials Nurse within a dedicated research office within the Dermatology Department has coincided with a significant increase in clinical trials activity.

In particular, we now support an increasing number of commercial clinical trials, and feedback from commercial partners on our performance and support structures is very positive.

• Research-active Consultants, Nurses and Allied Health Professionals
• Good support services
• Clinical Trials Nurse support

In addition to the areas highlighted in other sections, NHS Lanarkshire staff are research-active in a wide range of other specialties. Further information can be made obtained via Research & Development –  Department at nhslresearch@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk.

Brief examples include:

• Rheumatology: Dedicated Trials Nurses support Consultant Rheumatologists in Wishaw and Hairmyres carrying out commercial and non-commercial trials across the three sites; we also have a number of national and international collaborations in the field of lupus.
• Neonatology: A specialist-trained Neonatology Trials Nurse supports a number of local and national Neonatal and Paediatric clinical trials in areas such as infant feeding and Paediatric asthma.
• Surgical: Trials Nurse Bank staff are supporting a Consultant Surgeon in a national study looking at surgical techniques for treating haemorrhoids
• Microbiology: our Consultant Microbiologists have a variety of research interests, with ward cleaning to avoid Hospital Acquired Infection being an area of internationally-recognised expertise.

NHS Lanarkshire is committed to improving the service it provides to patients and their families. We therefore want to hear from you about your experience. If you would like to tell us about this please visit our feedback page.