Birmingham Health Partners (BHP) has successfully led a bid to establish one of the UK’s new National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs) to expand access to innovative clinical trials and deliver life-changing treatments to some of the UK’s most underserved communities.
This transformative £7m investment will establish the Central and North West Midlands (C&NWM) Commercial Research Delivery Centre, hosted by BHP founding member Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC), working closely with regional partners Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust – host of Staffordshire and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Health Research Partnership (SSHERPA) – and the Black Country Provider Collaborative.
The new CRDC will make it easier for individuals across the C&NWM region to take part in research trials for cutting-edge healthcare treatments, partnering with drug companies to deliver treatment trials in a safe and responsible way. The new centre will also work closely with local businesses, patient groups and charities to help it reach a broad range of communities, including those that haven’t taken part in research before.
The C&NWM region, home to 4.2 million people, includes many of the UK’s most economically deprived communities who face significant health inequalities and higher rates of serious illness. The CRDC will focus on addressing these inequities by increasing access to clinical trials for patients who have the greatest need – dovetailing with BHP’s strategic focus on addressing health inequalities and giving greater opportunities for residents to participate in research.
Professor Lorraine Harper, Managing Director of Birmingham Health Partners and Director of the C&NWM CRDC, said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to transform the health outcomes of our communities through world-class clinical research.
“By bringing together the expertise, resources, and passion of over 25 clinical and academic partners from across our region, we will create a thriving research ecosystem that not only delivers cutting-edge treatments but also makes clinical trials more accessible to all, including those in underserved populations. The NIHR’s investment will enable us to innovate and collaborate to improve healthcare in the Central and North West Midlands.”
Jeremy Kirk, R&D Director at BWC and Deputy Director of the CRDC said: “The primary objectives of the CRDC are to increase the number of trials in the region, boost participation from diverse communities, and speeding up the clinical trial process through streamlined workflows and innovative trial designs. BHP is already leading work to optimise academic trials and reduce bureaucracy, and so extending this programme into commercial trials is a natural next step.”
Innovative approaches such as community-based trial locations, mobile research units, and digital technologies will ensure the CRDC reaches individuals who have never previously participated in research. Public involvement will be central to every stage of the Centre’s work, ensuring that its methods are inclusive, supportive, and effective in addressing local healthcare challenges.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “Clinical trials help improve lives. Boosting the NHS’s capacity to deliver commercial clinical research through these new Commercial Research Delivery Centres will support recruitment across all communities and bring innovative treatments to patients.
“The effects of these centres will be felt right across the four nations, bringing investment into the UK’s life sciences sector.”
£72 million investment
A total of 20 CRDCs are being established across the UK. In addition to the CRDCs in England, there will be four in Scotland, and a one nation approach in Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of the 10 Year Health Plan, the centres will shift clinical trials beyond large hospital trusts and into community settings, meaning those in underserved regions will now be able to participate in research, boosting access to new treatments in the trial stage.
This £72 million investment over seven years, beginning in April 2025, is awarded from the £400 million Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access, and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme and partly from NIHR in England.
The VPAG programme is a unique partnership between the UK Government and the pharmaceutical industry to boost the global competitiveness of the UK life science sector and stimulate economic growth. It will invest up to £300 million to bolster commercial clinical trial activity and help advance the delivery of new medicines and vaccines to patients.
The full list of C&NWM partners is:
HOST: Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Aston University
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust
East Staffordshire PCN
Keele University
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Modality Partnership Limited
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board
NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board
NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
Solihull Healthcare Partnership
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
University of Birmingham
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
(BHP member organisations in bold type).