NCA Research & Innovation

27/10/2025

Reminder: A helpful free event in Oldham tomorrow where you can disacover the support that's available to keep you well this winter. Our community research team will be there - pop by and say hello!

Date for your diary - a winter wellness event for all the family at Werneth Park Lifelong Learning Centre, Oldham on Tuesday 28 October, 11am-1pm. Our community research team will be there to share how the Genes and Health study is providing important insights into health conditions that particularly affect our communities of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage.

24/10/2025

and we've had some heartwarming comments about the gastroenterology research team at Fairfield General Hospital in our patient surveys. Here are just a few!
• The team are really great and helpful. Very understanding also.
• The staff have been brilliant and always keep in touch me about the study and how my health is.
• Everyone on the ward has been very nice and helpful.
• The nurses who I was involved with were very helpful and kind and were always available to speak to should I need them. I had an issue not related to the research and Kay was more than helpful and put my mind at ease. Great team running the research.
Thanks to all the team (including those not pictured) for their kindness and support of research participants.

23/10/2025

New research has shown that steroid creams can shrink melanoma tumours – the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Cancer researcher and dermatology registrar at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust Dr Charles Earnshaw was first author of the study exploring using cream-based treatments (currently used as part of treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers) in melanoma.

Dr Earnshaw is among the team at Dr Santiago Zelenay’s laboratory at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute who have been working to understand why immunotherapy currently only helps around half of patients with melanoma.

They found commonly available steroid creams – which they expected to suppress the immune system – in fact caused an uptick in immune activity and the killing of the melanoma cells.

More on our website - link in comments.

22/10/2025

Our latest research star domestic cleaner Adesuwa (Addy) Idehen is one of our 'behind the scenes' heroes who quietly make a difference with their hard work. Over the past 18 months, Addy has always done an excellent job keeping both the office and clinical areas of our Bury clinical research facility immaculately clean and tidy, making sure that they are welcoming spaces for patients and colleagues alike. Thank you Addy!

20/10/2025

We're very proud that Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust has been named as an Employer of Choice by Manchester Metropolitan University.
The accolade has been developed to recognise employers who consistently provide high quality opportunities to the university’s students and graduates.
A key part of this is the student internship programme within our Research and Innovation department, which sees students from the university’s biomedical science degree take up a year-long placement as research support workers.
They gain wide experience, including screening patients and gaining their consent for research studies, handling samples and work in laboratories, data management and more.
Our latest students - Peasca, Amanjot, Katie and Natalia - have just started and we wish them all the best for an exciting and valuable year ahead!
Northern Care Alliance NHS Careers

17/10/2025

time and our dedicated renovascular research team at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust have had some lovely comments from research participants, including:
* All staff have been excellent. Mel has made me feel comfortable and been extremely helpful. Everything has been excellent.
* I was well informed and my questions were answered.
* The information received is very helpful.
* Informative and professionally managed.

16/10/2025

Brilliant to hear Professor Adrian Parry-Jones speaking about how research is changing and saving lives when he chatted with Mike Sweeney on BBC Manchester today. Prof Parry-Jones is a consultant neurologist at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and a researcher at the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre.
You can listen to the interview on BBC Sounds - it starts at 12.31
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_manchester

15/10/2025

Date for your diary - a winter wellness event for all the family at Werneth Park Lifelong Learning Centre, Oldham on Tuesday 28 October, 11am-1pm. Our community research team will be there to share how the Genes and Health study is providing important insights into health conditions that particularly affect our communities of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage.

14/10/2025

A big thank you to our Oldham Care Organisation research star of the month, James Hyland!
James has consistently gone above and beyond in his role as Clinical Trials Administrator in the pharmacy at Oldham. He ensures training is up to date and cascades the relevant information between the team and the sponsors. James oversees the finance and KPI aspects of clinical trials and James communicates effectively with the wider research team. He consistently supports colleagues, is dedicated and enthusiastic, and always goes above and beyond to ensure tasks are completed to the highest standard.
He's pictured with colleagues from the research delivery team - Jo, Arti and Carrole.

08/10/2025

A new approach to chronic lower back pain has reduced pain and disability in a research study.
Some of those who took part in the trial of Cognitive Muscular Therapy (CMT) said it was life changing.
The therapy combines psychological strategies for managing pain with biomechanical training to reduce muscle overactivity. It was developed in Salford through a joint research programme at The University of Salford and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. The work is led by Professor Stephen Preece, director of the Centre for Human Movement and Rehabilitation Research at the university and Nathan Brookes (pictured), lead physiotherapist and honorary research fellow.
Read more on our website (link in comments).

06/10/2025

02/10/2025

We are actively supporting the multi-agency response led by Greater Manchester Police and other emergency services