Barts Health Tops UK NHS Commercial Trial Recruitment for Seventh Consecutive Year
核心洞察
Barts Health NHS Trust remained the UK's top recruiter to commercial drug trials for the seventh year running, enrolling 538 participants across 165 commercial trials in 2025/26.
Over 20,000 patients took part in research during 2025/26, with total research income reaching a record £90 million, including £20 million from commercial trials.
The Trust achieved 11 European or worldwide 'firsts' in patient recruitment and set up 57% of new studies within the national 90-day target.
Barts Health NHS Trust has retained its position as the UK's top NHS recruiter to commercial drug trials for the seventh consecutive year, offering patients access to potentially life-saving treatments while clinicians evaluate the wider benefits of new medical products and procedures. The Trust also held its place as the country's fourth-biggest recruiter to publicly-funded research, despite several large national research projects coming to a natural end.
In total, more than 20,000 patients took part in research during 2025/26, including 538 participants enrolled across 165 commercial drug trials. The Trust's annual report on research and development for 2025/26 highlighted that, whatever the source of funding, patients treated in hospitals with an active research portfolio benefit from better treatment and care.
Record Research Income and Performance
The 2025/26 period marked a strong year for research performance at Barts Health. Total research income increased to a record £90 million, of which £20 million came from commercial trials and the remainder from public funders such as the National Institute for Health and Care Research (搜索) (NIHR).
The Trust was the highest performing NHS trust in safely setting up new trials, with 57% of studies meeting the national 90-day target. It ranked second nationally for the number of new studies opened by NHS organisations, launching 255 new studies. Barts Health also achieved 11 "firsts" in the recruitment of study participants from either Europe or worldwide, and its researchers contributed to more than 2,300 academic publications.
Diversity and Workforce Development
The annual report noted that the Trust monitors the diversity of patients recruited so that they reflect the demographics of its wider communities. Barts Health also launched new career opportunities for staff, with 11 employees enrolled onto a professional internship programme and nine undertaking NIHR studentships.
Dr Jenny Rivers, director of research and development, said: "Research enables us to deliver outstanding patient care, not only by promoting clinical and academic excellence but also through improving patient experience."
She added: "There is strong evidence that research-active healthcare organisations consistently deliver better outcomes for all their patients. They get earlier access to new treatments and technologies, are well-placed to identify and implement innovation, and foster a dynamic and vibrant culture of excellence in patient care."
Strengthened Clinical Research Leadership
During the course of the year, Barts Health strengthened its clinical research leadership, appointing Prof Kieran McCafferty as clinical director, Dr Imogen Skene as head of research nursing, and Profs Steffen Petersen and Tom Powles as co-directors of the NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre. Each hospital within the Trust now also has its own clinical research lead.
A Broader Research Trajectory
The Trust's sustained performance builds on a longer-term strategy established in 2019 to grow patient participation, build a multi-professional research culture across all its sites, strengthen infrastructure, and deepen partnerships. Patient participation has nearly doubled over six years, reaching over 31,000 participants across 450 studies in 2024/25 alone, with the average time from regulatory approval to first patient recruitment standing at just 74 days.
This growth is founded in a rich ecosystem of partnerships with Queen Mary University of London and other academic partners, industry, charities, and the communities the Trust serves. These collaborations have delivered new standards of care for bladder and breast cancer, breakthroughs in multiple sclerosis treatment now benefiting patients worldwide, and innovations in blood pressure management that could transform care for millions.