Published: September 2024

Clinical research is good for patients, the NHS and the economy. But in a health service under pressure, it’s often seen as important but not urgent.

This briefing outlines why embedding clinical research is fundamental to transforming the NHS. 

Read it below (please ensure you've accepted cookies - you can manage options at the bottom right of this page). Use the buttons at the bottom of the report to navigate. You can also download a PDF version.  

Data notes

• 1,318: Number of clinical research studies or trials funded by AMRC member charities between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. Data provided by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Open Data Platform. Annual data cut 27th April 2024.
• 1,146: Total number of research posts in the NHS, including, but not limited to, clinicians, nurses and clinical trials support staff.
• 101 charities told us that they are involved in activity to support recruitment to research in a survey of our members in August 2023.
• 198,920: Number of patients recruited in the UK to take part in clinical research studies or trials funded by AMRC member charities between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. Data provided by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Open Data Platform. Annual data cut 27th April 2024.
• Over 60%: Percentage contribution by AMRC member charities in 2022 to the UK’s public investment into cancer and cardiovascular research. Data from UK Health Research Analysis 2022 public dataset *
• Over 30%: Percentage contribution by AMRC member charities in 2022 to the UK’s public investment into inflammatory and immune system and neurological research. Data from UK Health Research Analysis 2022 public dataset. *
  
  * 124 AMRC members contributed data towards the Health Research Analysis 2022 report. In short, grants active in 2022 were coded for HRCS Health Categories. Each grant was then given an annualised value corresponding to its duration in 2022. These values were then used to calculate the total AMRC member expenditure to research, into each health category.