Improving Access to Respiratory Research in North Manchester

What did we do?

In 2022, the NIHR Manchester CRF expanded to include a facility at North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH) to bring early phase research opportunities to communities in that area.

There are high levels of respiratory illness in North Manchester, with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a serious lung condition, especially common here.

Although NMGH has a well-established respiratory service and has conducted later-stage research, we wanted to ensure people had opportunities to take part in early phase clinical trials. We formed experienced teams to successfully set up and deliver a Phase 2 clinical trial in COPD at the new site, with a cross-site working model to support with study screening and recruitment.

By improving access to research, we are aiming to reduce health inequalities in the region. Looking ahead, we will also ensure our research teams can offer a broader range of clinical trials across different disease areas and provide opportunities for further collaborative working across our other Manchester CRF sites.