We provide researchers with the practical support they need to make clinical studies happen in the NHS, so that more research takes place across England, and more patients can take part.
The Clinical Research Network is made up of six topic specific networks, a Primary Care Research Network and a Comprehensive Research Network, which give complete geographic coverage across England for all disease areas. Find out more about us.
Coordinated System for Gaining NHS Permission (CSP)
An important part of study set-up is obtaining permission to deliver your study from all the NHS Trusts taking part.
In the past, researchers had to make separate permission applications to every Trust, but the Clinical Research Network has revolutionized this process through CSP (the Coordinated System for Gaining NHS Permission).
CSP saves you time and reduces bureaucracy because you only enter your study details once, even on multi-site studies. The Clinical Research Network then coordinates all the necessary NHS Research and Development reviews at every participating NHS Trust.
As part of CSP, you will be assigned a Lead Comprehensive Local Research Network. That means you benefit from a single contact who will manage the whole R&D approvals process, and keep you in touch with developments.
If you have already started the CSP process and want advice about some aspect of your application for NHS Permission, contact the CSP helpdesk.
Coordinating study set-up across the Network
The costs of research and development in the NHS are split into three categories:
- Research costs
- NHS Service Support Costs
- Treatment costs
We provide the resources to cover the NHS service support costs for studies in the NIHR CRN Portfolio. Find out more about NHS research and development costs.
Following confirmation that your study is eligible for NIHR Clinical Research Network support (i.e. that it has been included in the NIHR CRN Portfolio), you will be assigned a named contact who will:
- Coordinate and assess your study’s need for NHS Service Support
- Identify the elements of NHS Service Support that should be provided by the CRN for the study; eg research nurse time to identify patients.
- Liaise, on your behalf, with other parts of the Clinical Research Network to confirm that NHS Service Support will be provided at each of the recruiting centres. The actual resources you receive at each site may vary according to local circumstances, but the aim will be to provide the necessary NHS Service Support for your study.
- Stay up-to-date with study set-up at other NIHR Clinical Research Networks and help resolve any problems.
Delivering to time and target
Communication is key to delivering well managed studies to time and target in the NHS. To help you achieve this we will organise an initial meeting to discuss the study and address any initial concerns. This conversation normally involves the Chief Investigator or one of the research team, the contact supporting study set-up and/or a Lead Comprehensive Local Research Network (CLRN) representative.
The main outcome of this meeting is identification of:
- The NHS Service Support resources the study requires to deliver the study (note this is not the monetary value but the NHS staff and resources needed to support your study)
- Discussion on time and target goals and escalation policy
- Agreed contact points
- Follow up arrangements between network contacts
You may be offered additional advice or support, depending on your requirements and the services available through the relevant network. Find your contact.
How do you begin these discussions?
When you are preparing your funding application you should contact your local R&D department who will be able to advise you on the correct attribution of costs (i.e. research costs, NHS Service Support costs and treatment costs) to ensure that your application is appropriately costed and supported. Many CLRNs offer a letter of support for applications.
When you are awarded your funding you will need to create your project in IRAS and complete and submit the Portfolio Application Form (if you answer yes to Question 5b in the IRAS filter this will create a Portfolio Application Form for you). Please ask for help and support if you need it, once your grant is awarded.
When you submit the R&D form and accompanying documents via IRAS, we will confirm whether the study is eligible for the NIHR CRN Portfolio. You will be contacted by the Lead CLRN to coordinate the permissions process and the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio Team will allocate a contact point to coordinate the study set-up.
