Performance in Initiating and Delivering Clinical Research

The Luton and Dunstable University Hospital  is committed to increasing the number of patients who have the opportunity to participate in clinical research. Performance benchmarks have been introduced by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) for the timetaken to initiate and deliver clinical trials within the NHS. From the 1st April 2014, the Trust’s performance against these benchmarks will be published in quarterly reports. Only those studies which fall within categories (1 to 4) within the IRAS application (Project Filter Question 2 -Type of Research), have been included the reports.

We are currently required to submit data for the past 12-months for two benchmarks to the NIHR on a quarterly basis. The latest update on both of these metrics is available to view here.

Previous updates on both of these metrics is provided below:

PERFORMANCE IN INITIATING CLINICAL RESEARCH (70 day benchmark)

The 70 day benchmark (national target) is a single measure taken from the date of receipt of a valid research
application to the date the first patient is recruited.

• 2020/2021 – Q1 to Q4
• 2021/2022 – Q1
• 2021/22 – Q2
• 2021/22 – Q3
• 2021/22 – Q4
• 2022/23 – Q1

PERFORMANCE IN DELIVERING CLINICAL RESEARCH (Time & Target)

For commercially sponsored trials, this benchmark measures the Trust’s performance in recruiting the target
number of patients in the agreed time.

• 2020/2021 – Q1 to Q4
• 2021/2022 – Q1
• 2021/22 – Q2
• 2021/22 – Q3
• 2021/22 – Q4
• 2022/23 – Q1