National Recognition for NWORTH, The Bangor Clinical Trials Unit

Bangor University has secured national recognition for undertaking clinical trials and studies of the highest quality.

The North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health (& Social Care) (NWORTH), the trials unit within the Institute of Medical & Social Care Research (IMSCaR) in the College of Health and Behavioural Sciences (CoHaBS) has been nationally recognised by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) as a fully registered Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) for research excellence in undertaking multi centre clinical trials and other well designed studies.

Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone, University Director of Research, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research & Enterprise's Office said “NWORTH's re-registration is testimony to the quality of the work they have undertaken and the processes they have established to deliver robust nationally and internationally recognised research. Health and medical research is a key component of Bangor University's research strategy and the continued success of the trial unit is helping the university deliver on this agenda with our partners in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. UKCRC's vote of confidence in NWORTH's work will ensure they go from strength to strength in delivering research that has the potential to improve the health of the local community and beyond.”

Professor Bob Woods, Acting Head of IMSCaR commented that “we are fortunate to have a great deal of expertise in North Wales in the evaluation of complex health care interventions, and this recognition of the Trials Unit confirms Bangor as a leading centre for this work.”

Rhiannon Whitaker, NWORTH’s Associate Scientific Director said “we are delighted that our hard work in supporting the UK wide studies has been recognised as worthy of full registration under the UKCRC’s internationally recognised process. Our registered status gives reassurance to clinicians, participants and funders alike that research emanating from our unit is of the highest quality.”

To obtain full UKCRC registered status, NWORTH was required to demonstrate a track record and experience of coordinating multi-centre randomised controlled trials, a core team of expert staff to develop studies, a robust quality assurance systems and processes to meet appropriate regulations and legislation and evidence of longer-term viability of capacity for trials coordination and the development/maintenance of a trials portfolio.

The international UKCRC review committee noted that “the unit presented a well constructed and considered application which provided clear evidence of established operational experience in the design and delivery of large scale multicentre clinical trials supported by a strong set of publications.... a strong application ..... which met the criteria for full registration.”

Publication date: 13 September 2012