CPFT Research sites

To ensure that people in Peterborough and the north have fair and equal access to research to improve health outcomes, a new clinical base has now opened at the Cavell Centre to host the research team and participant visits.

Several clinical research staff are delivering research at the new base and engaging with different populations in the north, including Peterborough and north Fenland. The CPFT Research team is growing a research-active culture in the north region and exploring how best to help local people from under-served communities and backgrounds to access and shape research to meet their health needs.

Clinical academic support has been secured to help all staff working in the north participate in research delivery and bring clinically relevant research to their services. We have designated Dr Rajeev Krishnadas, consultant psychiatrist and assistant professor in psychosis studies at Cambridge University, as clinical research lead for the north. With our specialist team and expertise in place, CPFT can now offer a dedicated research site in Peterborough, and we will continue to grow our research delivery and support for staff and patients that wish to be involved. 

Windsor Research Unit is part of the internationally-renowned Cambridge Biomedical Campus with access to state-of-the-art imaging technology and clinical research facilities, supporting some of the world’s leading laboratories. We are uniquely placed to deliver research with care, with regional, national and international partners and work closely with the NIHR East of England Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN)  to bring new developments in healthcare, technology and treatments to NHS patients. 

State-of-the-art facilities

The Windsor Research Unit is located at CPFT's Fulbourn Hospital headquarters site with free parking less than ten minutes away from the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The Unit has been specially adapted to provide a safe, accessible environment for people with dementia and mental health conditions. It complies with all safety regulations to allow volunteers and patients of all ages and conditions to take part in research on an outpatient basis, according to ethically approved protocols. There is a pharmacy on site, with GCP trained pharmacists experienced in delivering CTIMPs (Clinical Trial of an Investigational Medicinal Product).

The Unit facilities include:

• A bright and comfortable reception and lounge with hot drinks for research participants.
• A clinical room with all the necessary medical equipment to perform clinical investigations, facilities for venepuncture, ECG monitoring, spirometry machine.
• A sample handling room with a fridge, biological safety cabinet, one -20 freezer, two -80 freezers and a centrifuge. All staff are trained in processing blood and CSF samples.
• Two interview rooms for volunteers, patients and carers.
• Two separate open plan offices.
• Three locked storage rooms.
• Kitchen and specially adapted bathroom facilities with hand rails.
• High speed internet (including wi-fi), telephone and fax access, computer workstations with internet access.

We are proud to employ highly trained, experienced staff who are nationally recognised for their expertise and passion for improving lives through research. The team are dedicated to delivering research and receive regular training on the latest techniques, updated guidelines and standards. They also offer accredited training to build research capacity and capability, running a regular masterclass for Principal Investigators (PIs).

The CPFT Research team includes:

• Clinical research nurses
• Senior research administrator
• Clinical trials lead
• Clinical research practitioners
• Clinical research fellow 
• Unit manager
• Research and development manager
• Research communications manager
• Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Lead
• Associate director
• Support from the clinical director and senior consultant lead

The CPFT Research team is highly experienced in various rating scales, multimodal research methods and members have been certified by several commercial companies and vendors. All research staff are trained in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and receive regular updates. Monthly supervisions ensure each member of the team can perform to the highest standards and feels supported and empowered in their role. 

All research nurses and practitioners are trained in phlebotomy, electrocardiograms (ECGs), vital signs and responding to medical emergencies. They all come from different backgrounds and disciplines, with a broad scope of experience, knowledge and complimentary specialist skills. The CPFT Research team works with a multi-professional team of PIs leading studies across all specialties, who also manage clinical services at CPFT. Many of these health professionals and researchers are world experts in their field. The team is also supported by a dedicated research communications manager and research and development office to support studies and boost recruitment.

Working with CPFT, our research team also offers a unique opportunity to advance innovation in health informatics, through the Trust’s clinical systems and innovative CRATE research database. This allows clinical data to be anonymised for population health research. CPFT has a successful track record in translating work from the laboratory to patients, delivering the first clinical trials in the country for new therapeutic approaches and exploring the interactions between brain, body and environment.

We have an excellent track record in successful recruitment and retention of research participants, which is a key part of study delivery and focus for CPFT Research. Patients and volunteers are offered the opportunity to participate in research in their own homes with regular visits from the research nurses and practitioners, as well as visits to the Cavell Centre Clinical Research Suite, Windsor Research Unit and other clinical facilities. We have quick and easy access to hundreds of thousands of patient records through CPFT’s secure and comprehensive electronic patient database. Our researchers are embedded in CPFT’s clinical teams, which promotes research and boosts referrals to research studies.

Volunteers provide consistently positive feedback about their research experience with CPFT Research, commenting that it has been a pleasure to take part, they look forward to the visits, and have benefited personally from the research. The team's work with Dr Ben Underwood to improve the research experience for patients and volunteers was recognised by the NIHR Clinical Research Network Eastern’s (now RRDN) Putting Patients First award in 2018.

"We have found everyone we have come into contact with at the Windsor Research Unit without exception to be delightful - we have decided that must be a criteria for working there! Thank you again."

“Being involved in research has given me a sense of purpose in life. I am contributing to society and the memories of my experiences with mental health services back in the past are now being used for the good of others.”

“Taking part in research isn’t about what you will gain from it but how others will gain from it later on in time. Taking part has enriched our lives in more waysthan we could have ever imagined.”

“I would urge anyone eligible to consider taking part in research. Your contribution could make a huge difference to people affected by similar conditions and improve their lives, increasing the chance of finding successful treatments in future.”

“We recommend and wish to encourage others to take part too, for change can only happen when we take part.”