Shropshire NHS research teams recognised for Covid studies work
Research teams from NHS trusts across Shropshire have been recognised for their collaborative work on national and regional Covid-19 studies.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have been given an award by the Clinical Research Network.
It is for their joint efforts to support the Public Health England study called SIREN and NOVOVAX Vaccine Trial.
The SIREN study is looking at whether healthcare workers who are identified as having previously had Covid-19, detected by positive antibody tests, compared to those who do not have evidence of infection, are protected from future episodes of infection.
The findings from the year-long study will be used to help understand the future impact of Covid-19 on the population.
Mandy Carnahan, lead research nurse at SaTH, which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital, said: “We are proud to be part of this unique collaborative approach with 570 staff now recruited to the study.
"This achievement has been possible by the willingness of the research staff but also staff who have given up their time to participate in this important trial.”
Dave Evans, joint accountable officer at Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups, said it was "great recognition"for the teams and for the NHS staff who are giving up their time to take part in the research to benefit patients.
Dr Jane Povey, medical director at Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, added: “One thing the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us is that we cannot beat it unless we all work together.
"Our research teams have demonstrated just this, by joining together to implement this important study across the four trusts.
Delighted
"We are delighted that their hard work has been formally recognised by the presentation of this prestigious award.”
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust recruited 538 healthy volunteers to the NOVOAX vaccine study.
Ruth Longfellow, consultant anaesthetist and associate medical director at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry, said the SIREN study has been a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how the health system can all work together effectively to achieve the same common goal.
“We’re proud of everybody from across the health and care system who has worked hard on the SIREN study and we look forward to working together to deliver more studies in the future," she added.
Since the SIREN study started in September this year, 570 patient facing staff from across the trusts have volunteered to take part, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and support staff.
