Secretary of State for Health makes research commitment to NHS patients

News release from the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment

08 July 2008

The Government has announced that it will aim to inform all patients throughout the NHS of research that is relevant to them so that, if suitable, they can be offered the opportunity to take part in it.

Speaking at a summit hosted by the Prime Minister on 28 June 2008 to commemorate 60 years of NHS research, Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, underlined the huge importance of research to the NHS, and how it has made unparalleled advances in medical science and healthcare since it was founded in 1948.

He stated that every patient in the NHS should have the right to take part in approved medical research that is appropriate for them, and set out the measures that will be introduced to deliver this commitment. This will help transform the healthcare and well-being of the nation and enable eligible patients who wish to take part in research to do so swiftly and easily.

The HTA programme has been working with the NIHR to identify HTA-funded clinical trials which are in the recruitment phase inline with the Government's commitment to research.

Further details can be found by viewing the patient and public awareness section www.nihr.ac.uk/awareness.aspx on the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) website www.nihr.ac.uk/

Notes for editors


  1. The HTA programme is a programme of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and produces high quality research information about the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. It is the largest of the NIHR programmes and publishes the results of its research in the Health Technology Assessment journal, with more than 400 issues published to date. The journal’s 2007 Impact Factor (3.87) ranked it in the top 10 per cent of medical and health-related journals. All issues are available for download free of charge from the website, www.hta.ac.uk The HTA programme is coordinated by the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment (NCCHTA), based at the University of Southampton.
  2. The National Institute for Health Research provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility.  The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training.  Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. www.nihr.ac.uk

Contact details

Naomi Stockley, Programme Manager (Communications)
Telephone: 02380 595 646, Email: ns5@soton.ac.uk

Helen Nikandrou, Assistant Programme Manager (Communications)
Telephone: 02380 595 584, Email: h.nikandrou@soton.ac.uk

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