NIHR Blackpool CRDC

28/11/2025

🎄✨ Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust✨🎄

27/11/2025

🎄 Congratulations to Research Champion Josemi Joy! 🎄

We’re thrilled to announce Josemi as our Thursday Christmas Calendar Prize Draw winner! 🏆 Your dedication to supporting research and improving patient care is truly inspiring.

A huge thank you to all our Research Champions for everything you do – your commitment makes a real difference every day.

26/11/2025

🎄 Congratulations to Research Champion Oladunni Akinbulumo!🎄

We’re thrilled to announce Oladunni as our Wednesday Christmas Calendar Prize Draw winner! 🏆 Your dedication to supporting research and improving patient care is truly inspiring.

A huge thank you to all our Research Champions for everything you do – your commitment makes a real difference every day.

25/11/2025

🌟 Celebrating Excellence: Golden Mug Award for Vasanthi Vasudevan 🌟

We are thrilled to announce that Vasanthi Vasudevan has been awarded the Golden Mug for outstanding contribution to the ROMA-Women trial! This recognition celebrates Vasanthi’s dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to advancing cardiac surgery research for women at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

🫀 About the ROMA-Women Trial

The ROMA-Women trial (Randomised Comparison of the Clinical Outcome of Single versus Multiple Arterial Grafts in Women) is the first cardiac surgery study dedicated exclusively to women undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Historically, women have been underrepresented in cardiac trials, despite having unique risk profiles and outcomes. ROMA-Women aims to change that by comparing single arterial grafting (SAG) with multiple arterial grafting (MAG) to determine which approach delivers better long-term results.

✅ Why This Matters for Patients

Improved Outcomes: Evidence suggests that using multiple arterial grafts may reduce major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.

Better Quality of Life: The trial also measures improvements in physical and mental health, aiming to enhance recovery and long-term wellbeing.

Personalised Care: By focusing on women, the study addresses gender-specific challenges in cardiac surgery, paving the way for more tailored treatments.

This work is a game-changer for patient care, and Vasanthi’s contribution has been instrumental in driving recruitment and ensuring the trial’s success at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals.

👏 Please join us in congratulating Vasanthi Vasudevan for this well-deserved recognition! Your efforts are helping shape the future of cardiac care for women everywhere.

25/11/2025

🎉 Milestone Achievement: First UK Randomised Participant in the STABILISE Study! 🎉

We’re proud to announce that the STABILISE trial has officially randomised its first UK participant – a huge step forward in improving care for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

What is the STABILISE Study?

COPD is a serious lung condition that can cause flare-ups (called exacerbation's), often leading to hospital visits and reduced quality of life. The STABILISE trial is exploring whether the BCG vaccine, traditionally used against tuberculosis, can help reduce these flare-ups by boosting the immune system.

How does it work?

Two groups: One group receives a single dose of the BCG vaccine, the other does not.

Goal: To see if the vaccine lowers the number of moderate-to-severe COPD flare-ups over 12 months.

Who can take part?

Adults with COPD who’ve had at least two flare-ups in the past year.

Why does this matter for patients?

* Better quality of life
* Fewer hospital stays
* Less need for antibiotics and steroids

This research could lead to a simple, low-cost intervention that makes a real difference for thousands of people living with COPD.

For more information, visit:

Website for the University of Birmingham STABILISE trial

25/11/2025

🎉 Congratulations to our Tuesday Winner – Nestor Balajadia! 🎉

We’re thrilled to announce that Nestor has won in our Christmas Calendar Prize Draw! 🏆 Your dedication as a Research Champion is truly appreciated.

A huge thank you to all our Champions for your incredible support in keeping research at the heart of care. You make a real difference every day!

24/11/2025

🎄 Congratulations to our Research Champion, Andy Craig! 🎄

We’re thrilled to announce that Andy is the lucky winner of our Christmas Calendar Prize Draw! 🏆 Your dedication to research and making a difference truly shines, and this festive win is well deserved.

Thank you to all our Research Champions– your support helps us keep research at the heart of what we do. Stay tuned for more prize draws this week!

20/11/2025

A huge thank you to all our Research Champions who attended yesterday’s Principles of GCP Training!

Your commitment to excellence ensures that every study we deliver meets the highest standards of safety and integrity.
Yesterday’s session covered key topics:

* Adverse Events – recognising and reporting to protect participant wellbeing

* Eligibility – ensuring the right participants are enrolled

* Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria – safeguarding fairness and scientific validity

* Site File Management – maintaining accurate, compliant documentation.

Your dedication helps us uphold the principles of Good Clinical Practice, creating a safe and ethical environment for our patients and participants. Together, we’re driving research forward responsibly.

👉 Interested in becoming a Research Champion at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust?
Complete our Expression of Interest form here: https://forms.office.com/e/BkE624tWXU

20/11/2025

Have you had cancer? Did you finish your initial treatment before 2024?

Half of us will have cancer in our lifetime. Help us improve treatment and support for people like you.

Tell us about your life after diagnosis by completing an online survey (at a time that suits you).

To find out more, visit [link below / scan the QR code / type the link into your computer], or email imperial.patients.indigo.trial@nhs.net and we will send you a link.

19/11/2025

🎉 November Recruitment Update – Blackpool Leads the Way! 🎉
We’re thrilled to share that Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has made an outstanding contribution to the CAMELOT trial, randomising 4 patients this month and topping the leader board! 👏

This milestone comes as the trial surpasses 400 patients randomised – a huge achievement thanks to the dedication of every team involved.

What is the CAMELOT Study?

CAMELOT (Continuous Re**us Sheath Analgesia in Emergency Laparotomy) is a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial led by the Bristol Trials Centre.

It investigates whether adding Re**us Sheath Catheters (RSCs) to standard pain management after emergency bowel surgery can improve pain relief, reduce complications, and enhance recovery compared to standard care.

Patients are randomly assigned to:

✅ Standard analgesia (including PCA)
✅ Standard analgesia plus RSCs, delivering local anaesthetic for 72 hours post-surgery

The study aims to improve outcomes for emergency laparotomy patients and could transform post-operative care across the NHS.

See below for more information:

https://www.bristol-trials-centre.bristol.ac.uk/studies/camelot-continuous-re**us-sheath-analgesia-in-emergency-laparotomy/

CAMELOT Continuous re**us sheath Analgesia in eMErgency LaparOTomy, a multi centre, randomised sham-controlled trial of re**us sheath catheter-delivered local anaesthetic infusion compared with usual care in patients undergoing emergency bowel surgery. Funder: REC Number: Status: Recruitment Sponsor...

19/11/2025

BigTOE Trial

Big Toe OstEoarthritis (BigTOE) Trial: Inserts

🦶 Do you have arthritis in your big toe joint?
It’s more common than you think and can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness—making walking and daily activities difficult.
We’re running the BigTOE Trial to find out if shoe inserts can help reduce pain and improve quality of life for people with big toe arthritis.

✅ What’s involved?

Wear shoe inserts in your affected foot
Complete a few questionnaires over 12 months about pain, walking, and daily activities

This study will take place in NHS outpatient clinics across community and hospital settings. Clinicians who treat big toe arthritis can help recruit participants.
Why join?

Your involvement could help us discover better ways to manage big toe arthritis and improve life for thousands of people.

👉 Find out more and register your interest:

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/research/ctu/trials/bigtoe/

BigTOE Inserts

19/11/2025

🎄 Research Champions Christmas Raffle 🎄

We want to say a big thank you to all our amazing Research Champions for your dedication and support throughout the year!

To spread some festive cheer, we’re holding a Christmas Raffle exclusively for our Research Champions. Each champion will be entered for a chance to win a Christmas calendar – a little treat to brighten your December!

How it works:

Every Research Champion will automatically be entered into the raffle from Monday 24th November to Friday 28th November.

Winners will be announced soon – keep an eye on your inbox!

Your commitment helps us make research happen at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, and this is our way of showing appreciation.
Thank you for being part of the team – and good luck!