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University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

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Dorset Clinical Research Centre (DCRC)

The Dorset Clinical Research Centre (DCRC) provides dedicated research space within University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) for the delivery of cutting-edge research studies with the aim of improving the health of our local community.

This dedicated space was originally used for the Dorset Research Hub and was one of a series of hubs set up across the region by the Wessex Clinical Research Network in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dorset Research Hub enabled members of our community to take part in a number of urgent high-profile COVID-19 vaccine studies. Due to the success of this collaboration and with the full support of the trust board, the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership* awarded the UHD Research Department approximately £500,000 to create the Dorset Clinical Trials Unit (DCTU) and to improve the research infrastructure and facilities to allow the team to attract and support further ground-breaking research in Dorset.

The DCRC is part of the DCTU which sits alongside the UHD Research and Development department, providing study management and delivery support to researchers.

With the recent investment of just under £500,000 from the Dorset LEP, our research centre provides space, equipment and staff within a state-of-the-art research facility to support our clinical researchers, industry partners and our patients to deliver high quality clinical research.

The DCRC can be found on the ground floor of the West Wing of Royal Bournemouth Hospital, in between Outpatients and Boots Pharmacy.

The DCRC has its own reception and waiting area providing a comfortable space to welcome patients and visitors. The space is also equipped to provide the perfect environment for small research or study-related public and patient involvement (PPI) and focus groups as well as other relevant research forums. We also provide dedicated wheelchair access which links directly to the hospital's disabled car park.

Our facilities include:

  • Eleven consulting rooms, all with access to the UHD IT system and WiFi. We also provide Phlebotomy Chairs; BP monitors; ECG workstation; spirometry equipment; vein finder; infusion pumps. consulting rooms and equipment for patient visits can booked via our DCTU/DCRC team.
  • Sample processing laboratory, with Class II Biological Safety Cabinet; Refrigerated Centrifuge; temperature monitored sample storage fridge and -20°C freezer; access to managed -80°C freezers
  • Clean prep and storeroom
  • Medication prep room with temperature monitored medication fridge linked to Pharmacy.
  • DCTU meeting room with AV equipment
  • DCTU staff offices and break-out areas to accommodate our administration team with bookable hot-desking spaces available for our researchers and study monitors.
  • DCRC staff

We have a team of dedicated specialist research nurses and clinical trials assistants who are trained in the delivery of clinical research studies. If you would like to get in touch with the team, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Dorset Clinical Trials Unit (DCTU)

The Dorset Clinical Trials Unit (DCTU) is situated within the Dorset Clinical Research Centre (DCRC) on the ground floor of the West Wing of Royal Bournemouth Hospital, in between Outpatients and Boots Pharmacy. The DCRC is part of the DCTU.

The Dorset Clinical Trials Unit sits alongside the UHD Research and Development department and provides management support for research investigators for:

  • Development, delivery and analysis of high-quality research
  • Contribution of evidence for improved healthcare outcomes for patients
  • Providing research informed services and treatments within University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Here at the DCTU, we have a team of dedicated specialist staff who are experienced in the management, oversight and delivery of research studies. If you would like to get in touch with the team, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

What is a Clinical Trials Unit?

Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) are dedicated units which have been set up with a specific remit to design, conduct, analyse and publish clinical trials and studies. They have the capability to provide specialist advice and coordination to ensure delivery of successful clinical trials.

What do the DCTU support?

The DCTU is able to help with supporting the design, set-up, delivery, analyses and publication of research in and around the Dorset area for:

  • UHD NHS trust staff;
  • Bournemouth University staff;
  • Other local NHS services including primary care and community services;
  • Industry small/medium enterprise companies.

What can the DCTU do to help you?

DCTU work in collaboration with the Research Design Service South West (RDS SW; find more information about them here Research Design Service South West (nihr.ac.uk)) for the initial stages of a research study and following this are able to support right through to publication. Our staff are currently able to offer assistance with the following:

Concept

  • Study and protocol design advice
  • Feasibility assessments
  • Funding applications and reporting
  • Research costings

Set-up and conduct

  • Trial management
  • Data management – including electronic data capture and query management
  • Randomisation
  • Pharmacovigilance
  • Steering and safety committees
  • Quality management

Analysis and reporting

  • Statistical analyses and support (in collaboration with RDS SW)
  • Publication

Why work with the DCTU?

  • Ready-made systems and procedures which meet regulation and legislative requirements
  • Expertise in trial and data management which means clinical staff can focus on clinical expertise
  • Robust monitoring and oversight to ensure study is delivered to time and target

What are the aims of the DCTU?

  • To provide comprehensive quality support to investigators within the Dorset region
  • To increase availability of research involvement for patients locally
  • To contribute to high quality research publications which inform clinical practice nationally
  • To become a UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) registered unit

Sponsorship

What is a sponsor?

A sponsor is an organisation (or group of organisations) that accepts responsibility for ensuring that there are proper arrangements to initiate, manage, monitor and finance a project. The sponsor's primary responsibility is to safeguard the rights, safety, dignity and well-being of research participants. In doing so, the sponsor will accept responsibility for securing the necessary arrangements to conduct the research and will ensure that all the necessary authorisations have been obtained before commencing.

The sponsor is also responsible for monitoring the research to ensure it is conducted in accordance with applicable legislation and the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Guidelines.

The UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research requires that all research taking place in an NHS or social care context must have a Sponsor.

For queries regarding sponsorship or to request UHD sponsorship of your research project, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please note that sponsorship requests must be received a minimum of 6 weeks in advance of an intended grant submission deadline for Sponsorship Group consideration.

Support departments

There are several departments within UHD which may support research studies taking place at the trust:

  • Radiology
  • Pharmacy
  • Pathology
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Cardiac technicians
  • Information governance
  • Finance
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