1. Michael Bowdery
Interim Head of NISCHR
Capacity Building and Opportunities for Capacity Building in CTUs in Wales
UKCRC CTU Directors Meeting: 13 November 2012

2. Content
Purpose:
To introduce you to some of the ways in which NISCHR supports capacity building in Welsh Clinical Trials Units
Content:
Strategic context
NISCHR Trials Units
Capacity building in Welsh Trials Units

3. NISCHR Strategy Supporting excellence and innovation
Investing in the future (capacity building)
Streamlining the research process and improving the research environment
Increasing collaboration within and across sectors: HEI, NHS and commercial

4. NISCHR Trials Units 5 UKCRC Registered Trials Units in Wales
3 are NISCHR funded for Trials Unit activity
£8.6m investment over 5 years
Combined portfolio worth c£105m (as at March 2012)
Funded to work on an all-Wales basis and beyond
Units have complementary specialisms
All have a remit for core activity involving:
development of new trials
delivering funded trials
methodological development
unit management and strategic development
Two NHS Research Design and Conduct Services
Collaborating with 17 RRGs and Health Economists

5. NISCHR Trials Units South East Wales Trials Unit (SEWTU)
Led by Professor Kerry Hood, Cardiff
SEWTU themes: Infections, Behaviour Change,
Children & Young People, Medical Devices
Noted strength in working across Primary Care
North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health (NWORTH)
Led by Professor Bob Woods, Bangor
Focus on: pragmatic trials, complex interventions, social care and SOP development
Developing expertise in Ageing and Dementia, Mental Health, Muscular-Skeletal trials

6. NISCHR Trials Units
West Wales Organisation for Rigorous Trials in Health and Social Care (WWORTH)
Led by Professor Ian Russell, Swansea
Focus on: Secondary Care trials
Noted interest in Emergency Care, Gastroenterology, Diabetes, Mental Health, Rheumatology & trials
involving and exploring the use of routine data

7. Other Trials Units Wales Cancer Trials Unit (WCTU)
Led by Gareth Griffiths, Cardiff
Core-funding from CRUK and Marie Curie
Cancer focus (cancer therapies, primary care and palliative care) but non-cancer elements emerging
Haematology Trials Unit
Led by Dr Robert Hills, Cardiff
Funding from CRUK, MRC, Leukaemia & Lymphoma
Research Fund (and others)
Lead centre for acute myeloid leukaemia trials in the UK

8. NISCHR Clinical Research NISCHR Infrastructure
NISCHR Trials Units
NISCHR Infrastructure
Support Groups
NISCHR Clinical
Research Centre
NISCHR Registered
Research Groups

9. Impact of core funding on capacity building (1)
Staff retention and development
Bridging funding between projects
Staff stability
Funding shortfalls within projects
Academic development areas outside the focused funded projects – critical for academic development and preparing for future projects
Methodological development and training (workstream supported by core-funding)

10. North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health (NWORTH)
Before
During
After

11. Impact of core funding on capacity building (2)
Working with others
Academic clients through grant development
Research Design and Conduct Services/research courses and surgeries in the NHS
Access to other infrastructure groups (e.g. WHESS and Involving People)
Expansion and sustainability
Cost-recovery model allows expansion, development of ‘critical mass’ and flexibility to respond to changes and initiatives
Tapered-funding model supports move towards self-sustainability

12. Other support for capacity building
Academic Health Science Collaboration: Research Methodology Support Scheme (CTUs embedded in regional hubs)
Research for Patient and Public Benefit Programme
NHS focused
CTUs driving activity at regional level
Standard competitive programmes – Research Funding Scheme, Fellowships, Studentships

13. Contact details For further enquiries please contact: Michael Bowdery
NISCHR
Welsh Government
Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ
Tel:

14. Northern Ireland Danny McAuley

15. Current update New Director
Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit (NICTU)
Focus on CTU role
UKCRC - CTU
Provisional Registration
Full Registration
Mention no cancer CTU 15

16. Previous Organisational Structure
Director
Snr Admin Ass
Database Development & ICT
Medical Physics Agency
Admin Ass
Gen Admin Ass
Trial Manager
QA Manager
Snr Health Economist
Snr Biostatistician
Data Project Manager
Trial Co-ordinator
Research Monitor
Health Economist
Biostatistician
Data Manager
Jnr Biostatistician
Data Processor

17. New Organisational Structure
Director
CTU Manager
Admin Assistant
Personal Assistant
Gen Admin Ass
Snr Health Economist
Snr Statistician
ICT Manager
QA Manager
Snr Research Monitor
Snr Trial Manager
Data Project Manager
Health Economist
Biostatistician
Database Developer
Research Monitors
Trial Managers /
Trial Co-ordinators
Data Managers
Jnr Biostatistician
Clinical Trial Admin
Data Processors 17

18. Future Developments Development of CTU Team CTU Portfolio
Staff development and new staff
CTU Portfolio
NIHR funded
Development of CTU Management Systems
In house seminars - Ashley 18