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Taking part in research - it’s your decision!

If you are receiving care from CPFT you may be asked to take part in one of our research studies.

Taking part in a research study is always voluntary, your confidentiality will always be respected, and participants can withdraw from a study at any time, without having to explain why, and with no impact on usual care and treatment.

Find all our current research opportunities here

How to take part in CPFT research

Research is vital and we need to work with as many people as possible to improve health outcomes, care and services.  You can become a volunteer in several ways:

• If you are interested in taking part in a study, please talk to your care team at CPFT or your GP, or check our current research opportunities.
• Using the innovative CPFT Research Database system, our approved researchers can see parts of the medical records held by CPFT, but without any information that could identify an individual. You can also choose how to be contacted to take part in our research, and give the green light via this system. 
• Your treating clinician may ask you about studies that may be relevant to you.
• Anyone can sign up to a national research registry to be contacted about suitable studies in future. Join the national NHS Vaccine Trial Registry, Cambridge Bioresource or Join Dementia Research register.
   

Learn more about clinical research and how it is conducted

• National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) – The Patients carers and the public pages of the NIHR website have very useful information about clinical research and how people can get involved. The Research changed my life page contains case studies of people talking about their experiences of participating in research in a variety of roles, from researchers to patients. This gives you a better understanding of what clinical research involves and how health professionals, service users and carers can benefit.

• UK Clinical Research Collaboration - UKCRC has developed two leaflets for patients and the public which provide information on Clinical Trials:

• The leaflet Clinical Trials: What they are and what they’re not answers some of the key questions people have about why and how clinical trials are carried out.

• The booklet Understanding Clinical Trials provides more detailed information about how clinical trials are designed and carried out, and answers questions for those considering taking part. It also provides an information leaflet entitled Your health records save lives which explains how personal health data is used for research purposes and the importance for medical research. The leaflet was designed and written with input from patient groups and GPs.

• HealthTalkOnline - Contains information on Clinical Trials, including interviews with people talking about their experience of participating in a trial. It also includes accounts from patients who decided not to take part and those who withdrew from a trial.

• NHS Choices – Contains information on Clinical Trials and medical research. It has an excellent publication about how you can take part in research, including what questions to ask.