28. Barriers to conducting a research project in an NHS acute setting in Liverpool (321)

Anita Hanson, Research Nurse, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
A.Riley@liv.ac.uk

Abstract:

Background:

A Department of Health funded research project led by the University of Liverpool and Royal Liverpool University Hospital, looking at genetic and environmental factors that contribute to how patients respond to warfarin, is currently nearing completion. The potential benefits of the project include improving the safety of warfarin, quality of life of the patient and cost effectiveness of warfarin therapy. Despite the importance of the research, a number of barriers were identified when conducting the project. In order to overcome some of the barriers, a change management strategy was used to develop a structured plan to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the project, plus identify potential opportunities to take the project forward (Lanzotti, 2002). Introduction: From Liverpool alone, 1007 patients from 3 NHS Trusts have been recruited, plus 40 qualitative interviews have been conducted to examine clinician and patient acceptance of pharmacogenetic testing. However, in order to achieve this, the project faced many challenges.

As a nurse coordinating the project, the barriers identified included:
• Accessing a multitude of different committees and structures within organisations
• Gaining honorary NHS and University contracts
• Ginancial and time constraints
• Atttitudes towards research

Discussion:

All of the above pose a threat to the success of research projects. Clearly this has an impact on delivering vital evidence required to improve and implement change in existing practice. It has become evident that the increased control of, and the perceived bureaucracy associated with the governance of research has the potential to stifle research activity (Howarth and Kneafsey, 2004).

Biography:

After completing my nurse training at John Moores University in 1998, I was fortunate enough to experience working voluntary for approximately 5 months in Namibia. On returning from Africa, I commenced a position as a staff nurse in orthopaedics. After a couple of years I decided to work in primary care as a district nurse, but then fell in to a position in commercial research working for a contract research organisation. I gained a lot of experience here but wanted to utilise the skills in an NHS environment. I was successful in gaining the position as research nurse in Pharmacology, a very exciting field of work involving the study of adverse drug reactions. I have now worked in the department for nearly five years.