Research and care
Everyone providing or supporting care in the NHS uses research, but not everyone is necessarily aware of this on a day to day basis.
The core of all good training and practice is that it is based on evidence which can be trusted. The core of all good evidence is the process of systematically finding out what works and does not work. We call it research; in this case Clinical Research.
To achieve the optimum in patient care at any one time we need to increase knowledge all the time.
Clinical research is finding out what works best in patient care in specific areas through a ‘study’. A study aims to answer a question, in this case about patient care, using a carefully designed method.
But research does not just happen in a lab. The majority of health research activity in the UK takes place where patients are, and where you are: in the NHS. So it's important.
There is a recognised clinical research infrastructure that facilitates and funds this, but for it to work really well everyone who has responsibility for providing a service for people using the NHS, from Receptionist, Corporate Services, Clinician or Chief Executive, has a part to play.