A group of research nurses and computing scientists at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have won the regional NHS Parliamentary Awards. They received the award in recognition of an innovative tool that they have developed to ensure more patients can participate in research trials.
The Trial Tracker was nominated for the award by Gill Furniss, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, and has been chosen from a record 918 nominations made by 318 MPs across England.
More time for patients
The tracker uses algorithms to automatically match patients to multiple suitable trials simultaneously and has replaced a lengthy manual process which took research nurses hours to complete. The time saved by the tracker tool has freed up those nurses to focus on supporting patients that are eligible for a research trial.
The project was supported with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, and has already helped to screen thousands of patients into clinical trials. This includes patients with conditions for which rapid assessment and early identification of suitable trials is critical to provide opportunities to try new treatments that may aid recovery.
Senior stroke research sister for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Emma Richards, played a key role in the Trial Tracker’s development. She said:
“We are immensely proud that our pioneering Trial Tracker has been named as a regional finalist in the NHS Parliamentary Awards. The Trial Tracker is a simple-to-use innovation which has made a huge difference to the screening and management of patients into suitable clinical trials, such as those who have had a stroke where there is often a very short time frame to match them into trials due to the need for rapid assessment.”
Gill Furniss, Sheffield MP for Brightside and Hillsborough, added:
“I am delighted to see the Trial Tracker team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals win this prestigious award. Their pioneering research is a shining example of the cutting-edge research taking place in Sheffield and will continue to help improve patients’ health outcomes as well as support vital medical trials in the years ahead.”
Sheffield NHS leading the way
This is the second consecutive year that Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have been represented in the NHS Future Award category in the national finals of the NHS Parliamentary Awards, with the AI cardiac diagnostic tool being named last year’s winner.
Chief medical officer (development) for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr David Black, said:
“We have a proud tradition of pioneering research and innovation, so it’s a privilege to see our teams at the forefront of future NHS care once again. This award is a fantastic testament to the strength of Sheffield’s research ecosystem and how collaboration between scientists and nurses can further drive innovation.”
NHS England regional medical director for primary care and GP, Dr Faisel Baig, added:
“We’re thrilled to see the innovative work of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust being recognised in the NHS Parliamentary Awards. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of the research nurses and computing scientists involved, and their commitment to advancing the future of healthcare in the NHS. We look forward to celebrating their success at the national awards ceremony in London and showcasing the remarkable strides being made in digital health innovation.”
The team were honoured in the Future NHS Award, and will now go forwards as national finalists.
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