Information for Patients and the Public about NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Facility
Hello and Welcome
This section is for patients and the public who are looking for more information about what is involved in participating in clinical research at our clinical research facility and what opportunities are available.
If you are a researcher looking for more information or guidance on best practice or how we can support your PPI activity please visit the Patient and Public Involvement page or contact cuh.ppi.crf@nhs.net.
from everyone at NIHR Cambridge CRF
What is Clinical Research?
Clinical research is for all of us. It asks the most important health questions that you or someone you know might face and seeks to answer them so that new treatments can be created. It wouldn’t be possible without people like you taking part in research or helping to create research.
Clinical research helps us to understand health and disease much better, including how current treatments work, and to find new ways of treating and managing conditions.
Clinical trials of new treatments are designed to test if the treatments are safe, effective and better than what is currently available.
Researchers that use our clinical research facility are usually part of a team. They can include doctors, healthcare professionals such as nurses, midwives, dieticians and physiotherapists as well as psychologists and research assistants.
The Principal Investigator (PI) of the research trial will be working in a University or other health or social care organisation. In most research teams there will be service users, carers, patients or members of the public involved too.
Before taking part in a trial or study make sure you understand its purpose, what is involved and any risks or benefits.
For more information, visit the NHS clinical trials or the NIHR ‘be part of research’ website.
Find out more about our patient and public involvement work
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)
Patient and Public involvement (or PPI as it is shortened to) is important in clinical research. It ensures that research is done ‘with’ or ‘by’ the public, not ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them.
For more information, please visit the Patient and Public Involvement page.
Patient and Public Engagement (PPIE)
We are dedicating more time to go out and engage with patients and the public to promote and raise research awareness. We want to meet you, work with you, hear your stories and be able to share our research information with you. Members of our community who use local NHS care services have the best opportunities and choices about taking part in health research studies.
Please click here to read more about Patient and Public Engagement
Participation in Research
Are you interested in taking part in research?
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
We are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to take part in research.
Patient and Public Involvement for Researchers
We are committed to supporting and encouraging researchers to involve patients and the public in their work at the earliest opportunity.
Read more about this in our Patient and Public Involvement for Researchers page.
Young People in Research
We believe that every child and young person should have the opportunity to participate in clinical research, which can be truly life changing.
Please click here to read more about Young People in Research
Frequently Asked Questions
We are in the process of developing our 2022-2027 strategy for effectively engaging and involving patients and members of the public in the NIHR Cambridge CRF (Publication date: summer 2023)
Connect With Us
Follow us on social media to find out more about opportunities to get involved in research. We share people’s experiences of taking part in studies and helping shape research.
Why be Part of Clinical Research?
Cambridge Clinical Research Facility (CRF) is the largest, single site NIHR CRF, in the heart of Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It is the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe.
