Commercial research
The Royal Devon is a research-active Trust on the cutting-edge of health innovation.
We have a strong reputation for delivering commercial research, with over 40 Principal Investigators supporting more than 70 commercial trials. The Trust's Commercial Research Centre, located at our Wonford site, works closely with industry partners to set up and deliver a wide range of studies. We put patients at the heart of everything we do, and our 97% participant retention rate reflects the high standards of patient experience we provide.
We also support early-phase trials in our Clinical Research Facility, which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and also have an NIHR Biomedical Research Centre which means we can support product development across all trial phases.
Our dedicated professional services team in the Research and Development office ensures swift trial set-up through the National Contract Value Review (NCVR) process.
Why is commercial research important?
By attracting more commercial research to the UK, we increase opportunities for NHS patients to access cutting edge treatment and therapies that are not yet widely available through the NHS. We work across the region, through our partners and stakeholders, to ensure as many people as possible are given an opportunity to take part.
Our expertise
We work with life sciences partners across all phases of their product development. Through our Joint Research Office with the University of Exeter, our Chief Investigators (CIs) and Principal Investigators (PIs) work across both the University and the Trust, collaborating with life science industry partners to drive forward healthcare innovation for the benefit of our population and beyond.
Our CIs and PIs are supported by highly experienced Trust Research Doctors, including General Practitioners, as well as skilled registered nurses, midwives, assistant practitioners, and data managers. Dedicated professional services staff in our Research and Development office support swift trial set-up within the National Contract Value Review (NCVR) process. The Trust has a dedicated Clinical Trials Pharmacy with very experienced Clinical Pharmacists, technicians and dispensers supporting aseptic and other medication.
The South West Commercial Research Group
We are part of the South West Commercial Research Group, a collaboration of 10 key partners from across acute, community, integrated care and mental health NHS Trusts, and GP surgeries. We are working together to increase access to life-changing commercial clinical research, supporting ongoing patient recruitment and the delivery of commercial clinical trials and studies. We are also collaborating with the NIHR Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) to support NIHR commercial research.
By working alongside industry partners, we’re opening up more opportunities for patients to benefit from innovative treatments and therapies.