YEOVIL NEWS: Promoting health trials at the hospital

YEOVIL District Hospital’s research team has been celebrating International Clinical Research Day today (Friday, May 20, 2016) with a stand in main reception for visitors and patients to find out more about research and which studies are available to take part in.

There were opportunities to talk to research nurses and a patient, Peter Stamp, who had taken part in a recent trial.

Mr Stamp, from Sturminster Newton, was motivated to take part in a clinical trial after discovering a history of heart attacks in the male line of his family. The trial assessed people with type 2 diabetes to see how their hearts reacted when treated with the drug Lixisenatide.

His decision to participate in the trial came after having a heart attack and being admitted to Yeovil Hospital. After being deemed eligible, he opted to take part to see if the trial would help improve his condition after not being able to walk very far.

He said of the trial: “At the beginning of the programme, one third of my heart muscle was dead. I could hardly walk; my blood sugar levels were high and my life expectancy was short. I had given up.

“After starting the trial, I quickly noticed improvements to my condition that I could not believe. Since then, I’ve hiked long distances and seized hold of life anew.”

Joanna Allison, manager of the research and development department at the hospital, said: “The department has been running for over 20 years. We started with only three studies, with a handful of patients, and now have over 100 studies open at any one time, recruiting nearly 700 patients each year.

“For a small hospital, this is really impressive and shows a really active research ethos from all our clinical teams.

“Our clinical research unit host all types of studies, from simple blood tests and questionnaires to drug and device studies. This includes studies in cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, surgery, orthopaedics, heart disease, children’s care and stroke.

“We are really keen that eligible patients are offered the opportunity to consider a study, so anyone interested should ask their clinical team what research is running that they might be able to participate in.”

To find out what research studies are being run, please contact the clinical research department on 01935-384559.

PHOTO - TOP: Peter Stamp, who has taken part in a trial, with Yeovil District Hospital staff.

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