Weymouth Research Hub

The Weymouth Research Hub is inviting local people to come forward and get involved. This new NHS-backed centre offers people in Weymouth, Portland and across West Dorset the chance to take part in vital, life-saving clinical trials.

Set up in the renovated Linden Unit at Westhaven Community Hospital in Radipole Lane, Weymouth, the hub is a joint venture between two NHS Trusts, Dorset HealthCare and Dorset County Hospital. The team will receive ongoing support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Wessex, the research arm of the NHS.

The first volunteers to take part will be involved in helping research the best COVID-19 vaccines.

“We really want to see this hub become a focus for bringing new NHS vaccines, treatments and tests to the people of Weymouth,” said Professor Saul Faust, Clinical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network in Wessex. “We’d really like people from all backgrounds, ages and way of life to take part. The more people who take part in research, the better the results and the more relevant it is to our whole population. So please do all you can to help us spread the word.”

Weymouth and Portland are among the most deprived areas in Wessex, according to the government’s indices of deprivation. Those living in coastal communities also experience some of the worst health.

Dr Patrick Moore, Dorset GP and Associate Clinical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network, added: “Research is vitally important in developing new treatments and improving health. The new research hub brings opportunities to Weymouth and the surrounding region. Up until now the population in west Dorset have not had the chance to be part of research in this way. Taking part is the key to developing the best treatments, interventions and care moving forward.”

The hub joins three others set up by NIHR Wessex and running very successfully - Southampton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth. Together they work in collaboration with the NIHR Clinical Research Facility in Southampton. These centres played a frontline role during the COVID-19 pandemic in helping with the development of new vaccines. Thousands of people across the south came forward to volunteer and without their contribution it would not have been possible to set up the national vaccination programme.

You can sign up through our Be Part of Research website.

Why take part?

The NIHR’s main message is “better care and treatments start with you.”

People get involved in research to:

• learn more about a condition that affects them
• make a difference, by helping to improve treatments and quality of life, now and for future generations
• support medical research for a particular condition or disease that they care about
• access new treatments
• take an active role in their own care

This is explained in more detail here

Weymouth Research Hub Video

Local people talk about why they have got involved with the Weymouth Research Hub.

Contact the DCH Research Team

Telephone: 01305 253106

E-mail: research@dchft.nhs.uk

Address: Research Department, Dorset County Hospital, Williams Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2JY, UK

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial

Over a million people have participated in COVID-19 research across the UK since the beginning of the pandemic. Thanks to all those who volunteered and continue to volunteer, we now have effective vaccines and treatments.

Public participation in COVID-19 research is still vital to enable effective treatments to be identified, evidenced and made available to NHS patients.

Even though there are a number of approved COVID-19 vaccines available to people, it is still very important to take part in new COVID-19 vaccine studies.

Different vaccines and dose schedules are needed for different groups of people. That’s why in the UK we’re still running a number of different COVID-19 vaccine studies, which need more volunteers to step forward.

So, what’s next in the fight against COVID-19?

Weymouth Research Hub is inviting participants to take part in the latest clinical trial of a COVID-19 booster vaccine.

The NextCOVE Study is enrolling people aged 18 and older who have received a COVID-19 vaccine and at least one booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine for an investigational vaccine that may help protect against multiple variants.

Please visit www.nextcovestudyuk.com to find out more, and thank you for considering taking part.

For general information about COVID-19 research studies, please click here.