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CANCER IN SCOTLAND SUSTAINING CHANGE

05 SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

THERE IS SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT OUTCOMES ARE IMPROVED FOR THOSE PATIENTS TREATED IN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE RESEARCH IS THE NORM OF FOR THOSE PATIENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN CLINICAL TRIALS

What we said we would do:

• Establish a centre of excellence able to forge strong international research collaborations involving existing experts.

• Ensure that more patients have the opportunity to be involved in clinical trials.

What has been achieved:

National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)

• NCRI was successfully launched in April 2001. It brings together, all major funders of research (including government, the voluntary sector and industry) together with cancer patient representatives, to ensure a national strategic approach to identifying and supporting cancer research.

• The NCRI has published the first detailed analysis of cancer research in the UK, set up strategic planning groups to examine national research investments in prevention and in supportive and palliative care and committed to establish a National Cancer Tissue Bank to help exploit knowledge from the sequencing of the human genome.

National Cancer Research Network (NCRN)

• The NCRN was established by the Department of Health in England in April 2001 to provide the NHS with an infrastructure to support prospective trials of cancer treatments and other well-designed studies and to integrate and support research undertaken by cancer charities.

• Its aim is to improve the speed, quality and integration of research and to double accrual into trials ultimately resulting in improved patient care.

Scottish Cancer Research Network (SCRN)

• In March 2002 the Minister for Health and Community Care announced an additional 1 million to support the development of a Scottish Cancer Research Network. The SCRN has been established to increase accrual of patients into clinical trials and to promote equity of access to trials for all patients with cancer in Scotland. The SCRN maps onto the three existing regional cancer clinical networks and is a fully participating member of the UK NCRN.

• SCRN infrastructure is now in place including Regional Lead Clinicians and Coordinators with agreed implementation plans.

National Translational Cancer Network (NTRAC)

• NTRAC was established in May 2001 to help improve the quality of cancer care by creating a national network of cancer research centres, embedded in the NHS, which integrates scientific and clinical expertise, and shares knowledge and resources for the benefit of cancer patients. This will improve patient access to novel cancer treatments and facilitate the conduct of high quality research within the NHS.

• Fourteen Centres of excellence have been awarded NTRAC status to become part of this network and including two Scottish Centres - one in Edinburgh and a joint Glasgow/Dundee virtual centre. A Coordinating Centre has been established at the University of Oxford which acts as secretariat, communications hub and professional support for the network. Each Centre receives around 1 million funding over 5 years to help build the research infrastructure and workforce capability needed to fast-track research for the benefit of cancer patients.

Chief Scientist Office

In 2002-03 the Scottish Executive's Chief Scientist Office (CSO) spent 1.7 million on direct grants for cancer research and 8.2 million on support costs of externally funded non-commercial research, general management and other indirect costs related to undertaking and sustaining cancer research within the NHSS.

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