THE trust that runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals showcased the life-changing impact research has on medicine as it celebrated International Clinical Trials Day.

Clinical Trials Day is celebrated around the world by research professionals to raise trial awareness and recognise patient, public and staff contributions to public health and medical progress.

In 2021/22, 1,110 patients at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, took part in 50 studies.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought medical research to the forefront of people’s minds and the Research and Innovation Team at the Trust has been busy delivering pioneering treatments in Shropshire throughout this challenging period.

However, Covid-19 research is just one element of the team’s work.

As more clinical services begin to resume, they are keen to build on this momentum and are starting to reopen more ground-breaking studies across a wider range of specialities.

“If we are to continue to improve treatment outcomes and advance patient care then we need more research, and that is something we are really passionate about achieving here,” said Mandy Carnahan, Lead Research Nurse for the Trust.

“So many of our patients enjoy taking part in clinical trials and see it as a way of giving something back for the generations to come. We would like to give many more patients this opportunity.

“On the whole evidence shows that patients who participate in trials do better than those who don’t, whether they receive placebo or treatment and so I encourage people to ask their doctor or nurse about how they can get involved in research.”

Trials usually require a significant number of people to take part in order for an effective evaluation of the effectiveness of drugs and treatments.