It is one year to the day since we recruited our first patient to a special COVID-19 research trial – and what a success it has been so far.
We’re marking our involvement in the national Recovery COVID-19 research study by celebrating some of its milestones.
The organisation has been one of the leading health trusts involved – being one of the highest recruiters of patients and being the first health trust to treat patients on three new treatments.
Ben Prudon, respiratory consultant and lead investigator for the trust, said: “Today is a day when we look back over the unbelievable events over the last year and the fantastic efforts healthcare professionals have delivered to ensure our patients get the best possible treatment.
“Our staff’s contribution to this has saved lives.
“Thank you to every one of them for an amazing effort and for everything else over the last challenging year.
“Thank you also to patients involved for playing their part – without their involvement we wouldn’t be able to improve treatments and outcomes.”
“Fantastic efforts of all involved”
To date, 790 patients have participated in the study in the Trust – making the organisation proportionally the second highest recruiter in the country.
The Trust has also been the first in the UK to give a patient the medication Tocilizumab, the antibody treatment RGEN-COV2, and more recently the multiple sclerosis medication DMF.
The study has had key successes – including the finding that both Dexamethasone and Tocilizumab are effective and help save lives.
Dr Prudon added: “Patients with respiratory failure secondary COVID continue to be admitted, and Recovery continues to explore the use of several treatments.
“We have been proud to embed the trial as a standard aspect of the inpatient management of our COVID patients here. This has been possible through the fantastic efforts of all involved – ward nurses, research nurses and office team, the pharmacy team, blood bank team and the medical team.”