Synexus has formed a partnership with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to establish a clinical research facility at Hexham General Hospital.
The trust is one of the largest and top-performing NHS foundation trusts in the country and is now the first NHS hospital and community health services provider to forge such a unique clinical trials partnership, with the potential to improve treatment for thousands of patients across the NHS.
Synexus already has dedicated research centres across the UK, Europe and Africa with more than 20 years’ experience running clinical trials with GPs and their patients. Now, thanks to its collaboration with Northumbria Healthcare, clinical trials will be further enhanced by the trust’s medical specialists, vast NHS research experience and support services to give thousands of people across the North East access to clinical trials.
The new clinical research facility at Hexham General Hospital will open in early 2014 giving opportunities to patients to participate in clinical trials previously unavailable in the NHS.
Synexus chief executive, Christophe Berthoux, said: "We are delighted to have signed this agreement with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. This reinforces our commitment to working in productive relationships with industry and now with the NHS to offer an improved clinical trial experience for patients.
“The Department of Health has put an increasing emphasis on the importance of clinical trials in the UK and we are very keen to be able to combine our significant experience and heritage with the positive reputation of the NHS.”
Chief executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Jim Mackey, added: “This is an excellent opportunity for the trust and we are delighted to be the first NHS trust to partner with Synexus. Clinical trials play an important role in the NHS and we are pleased that we are helping to not only improve the quality of life for patients, but also have input in developing medicines to help patients for years to come. Our existing clinical research department has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, bringing major benefits to patients, and this partnership will help us to build on that strong foundation.”
The new partnership builds on the high-quality clinical trials already supported by the trust in a broad range of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke and cancer. The trust has also previously been awarded National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funding to lead on a number of national research projects regarding important healthcare issues that affect the population.