The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Substance Misuse Education Working Group consists of NHS and Education staff who have worked together to create the ‘Substance Misuse Toolkit’. This online resource contains quality assured substance misuse education resources to support staff working with young people in both education and community settings. Resources include lesson plans, resource packs and relevant websites.
The Substance Misuse Toolkit aims to reduce harm caused by substance misuse by:
- Equipping staff with the knowledge and confidence they require to teach pupils about the effects, risks and consequences of substance use by providing them with a range of materials and methodologies.
- Encouraging learners to make informed choices about alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
- Supporting an age appropriate and inclusive approach to education in relation to substances within the context of a Curriculum for Excellence.
- Identifying evidence based resources and approaches and share good practice with staff across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
- Ensuring that resources are up to date and fit for purpose.
- Ensuring ongoing quality assurance processes are in place to monitor and further develop the site.
Quality Assurance
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Substance Misuse Education Working Group meets regularly to ensure that resources included within the Substance Misuse Toolkit are evidence based, up to date and of a high standard. The group consults with key stakeholders regarding the accessibility, content, usefulness and areas for improvement.
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Substance Misuse Education Working Group has developed a quality assurance tool to assess the content of resources against agreed indicators. The tool is consistent with the principles and values of local and national policy including Curriculum for Excellence, GIRFEC and the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Education Model. Resources which meet the standards set by this review process are then incorporated into the Substance Misuse Toolkit.
The Quality Assurance Tool Template can be accessed here.
Policy Context
The need to support children and young people to make positive choices about alcohol, drugs and tobacco has been highlighted by a number of national and local policy documents. Substance Misuse Education is a priority within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Prevention & Education Model and is a Health & Wellbeing organiser within Curriculum for Excellence. Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) ensures that wellbeing is central to all of our work in meeting children and young people’s needs.
Further information on the policy context can be found here.
NHS Research Scotland definition
Research Governance concerns setting standards to improve research quality and safeguard the public. It involves enhancing ethical and scientific quality, promoting good practice, reducing adverse incidents, ensuring lessons are learned and preventing poor performance and misconduct.
A broad range of regulations, principles and standards of good practice exist to achieve, and continuously improve, research quality across all aspects of healthcare in the UK and worldwide.
Research governance applies to everyone connected to healthcare research including Chief investigators, health care professionals, researchers, and support staff.
Introduction
Research Governance is essential for the conduct of research on humans and encompasses regulations, good practices, and world- wide collaboration to create an environment ensuring safety of the participants while conducting the studies and trials and the collection and analysis of data to quality standards.
The Research Governance team at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is a support department to researchers and teams and is made up a range of highly qualified individuals such as PhD level scientists with research and Industrial experience, an engineer, auditors and monitors with key skills in QA, clinical trials, Industry, medical devices, drug development, Intellectual property and safety.
The team provide Sponsor support starting from the grant stage of a study, to protocol development, to assessing vendors, to identifying and managing risk and overseeing the conduct of the study, to managing non-compliances, protocol deviations and serious breaches of GCP. This activity covers hundreds of sites across the UK and internationally as NHS GG&C and Glasgow University researchers lead on worldwide research.
The QA team carry out GCP audits, a requirement of the Clinical Trial Regulations, engage with third parties to audit our own activities and provide a Quality system for the production and maintenance of SOPS incorporating all of the departments involved in research e.g. Imaging, safehaven, Bio repository.
The team activity is inspected by the MHRA during Regulatory Sponsor inspections. The Governance manager is a lead for these inspections involving all departments and other organisations. Together with the QA manager they manage the outcomes of inspections and ensure that the findings are addressed.
The Team are also responsible for the oversight of other studies such as surgical, medical devices and hosted studies including commercial and other academic led studies. Due to limited resources this is managed by assessing risk and focusing on areas which may potentially pose safety or quality issues.
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic the team led the development and implementation of a process to oversee safety of research participants still taking part in sponsored clinical research led by NHSGGC and its partners.
NHSGGC has already earned a reputation with companies for being open to innovative ideas and partnership working. We aim to build on this. In response to the scale of funding and innovation opportunities that are becoming available, NHSGGC has set up an Innovation Governance Group (IGG). The role of the IGG is to primarily assess consortia and bids that aim to use NHSGGC as an innovation test bed with an aim to;
- Prioritise those that align with NHSGGC objectives and strategic delivery plans
- Position NHSGGC to attract Innovation funding to support strategic developments.
Who are we?
Registering a project
As part of the processes for IGG we are now using a new system for the registration of innovation projects. To register your innovation project please complete the registration form (here) and send to innovation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Please visit our website for more info
www.woshealthinnovation.scot
Diabetes SBRI
Deliver safe and better care for people in Scotland with diabetes, Phase 1 SBRI Competition
The following link provides a recording of the launch event held on 17th August 2020 which was attended by some 79 participants: Click here
The presentations from the event can be viewed here:
01 Brian Kennon Diabetes SBRIs B Kennon 17th Aug 2020
02 Andrew Fowlie – sbri slides Andrew Fowlie 17-Aug
03 Jon Hazell_SBRI APPLICANT BRIEFING DIABETES
04 Sandra AI diabetic Ulcer infograph – S.MacRury
04 Sandra SBRI Diabetes Foot Disease pptx V3
05 Stuart Ritchie Innovation meeting – August 2020
06 Maria Talla Osteoporosis
07 Paul McGinness (Storm) SBRI August 2020
SBRI Diabetes & Endocrine Briefing Event, 17 Aug – Agenda
SBRI Launch event Q&As
The competition is live, with registration closing on the 23rd September 1100am and the competition closing on the 30th September 1100am
This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by NHS Scotland. Successful applicants receive 100% funding and access to advice from NHS Highland, NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The overall programme will be delivered in up to 2 phases. This is phase 1. A decision to proceed with phase 2 will depend on the outcomes from phase 1. Only successful applicants from phase 1 will be able to apply to take part in phase 2.
NHS Scotland is investing up to £300,000 including VAT, in innovative solutions in 3 challenge areas as follows:
Challenge A
Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to help develop prediction algorithms and risk stratification for diabetes foot ulceration, amputations and mortality.
Challenge B
Improving the clinical care of patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of diabetes when admitted to hospital by developing a real-time decision support tool and alert mechanism. The tool must improve triage, prevent medication errors, identify emergencies and streamline the diabetes care pathway.
Challenge C
Improving the identification (case finding) of people at risk of osteoporosis and fracture, including those with diabetes.
You need to submit a separate application for each challenge you wish to apply for. Further details can be found at: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/664/overview
Applications are Invited for the Endowment Research Facility Investment fund
Purpose of fund:
Investment in Equipment, Information and Communication Technology CT and physical infrastructure for research facilities and activity”.
Please complete Endowment Funds Block Grant Application Form and submit to michelle.mcdermott@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Deadline for submission of applications: Thursday 30 May 2024 for 3 June 2024 meeting
Automatic registration of clinical trials
On the 20th of October the HRA have announced a partnership with ISRCTN, which will enable automatic registration of clinical trials.
Registering studies before the first participant is recruited is one of the pillars of research transparency, it reduces research waste and prevents duplication. A key commitment they make in the Make it Public strategy is to register trials on behalf of sponsors. The aim is to ease the burden on sponsors and help to make transparency easy and the norm.
The current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are available from the Glasgow Clinical Trial Unit website.
What is the Pharmacy Clinical Trials Service?
The Research Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team work to ensure all patients participating in clinical trials derive maximum benefit and minimum harm from their medicines. We strive to achieve a high quality, effective and efficient service at all times. The team is spread across NHSGGC with bases in the Research and Innovation office (for clinical research sponsored by NHSGGC or co-sponsored by NHSGGC & University of Glasgow) and across NHSGGC acute hospital sites (for hosted clinical research.
What can the Pharmacy Clinical Trials Service do for you?
The service has a dual role providing support to investigators and members of the research study team on medicines related aspects of research and clinical trials in addition to dispensing medicines for study subject and patient use. The Pharmacy Clinical Trials Service works in tandem with the R&I Department and Clinical Research Facilities.
Pharmacy Q&A
What does Pharmacy do?
Pharmacy services in NHSGGC work in tandem with the Research and Innovation (R&I) department, reviewing all clinical trials to ensure the appropriate standards for conducting research involving medicines are met and also that the study is clinically appropriate and operationally viable. As part of the review process, the Portfolio Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team will liaise with fellow staff e.g. Quality Assurance, Aseptic Services, Clinical Pharmacists and Lead Directorate Pharmacists, whereupon satisfactory completion of the review, Pharmacy approval is given and forms part of the R&I management approval process. Where NHSGGC are sponsor or co-sponsor for a clinical trial, Pharmacy will assist you from the very early stages of preparing your protocol, assisting you with your medicines related aspects of regulatory applications and setting up your study. Pharmacy can also help prepare the necessary documentation and assist you with IMP management processes at all stages from receipt into Pharmacy to administration to the patient. For all other clinical trials, Pharmacy work to facilitate multi-site clinical trials as a single working stream and provide information and training to you and your study Team to ensure the trial meets the appropriate standards. We also have close links with Pharmacy clinical trial colleagues throughout Scotland via the Clinical Trial Special Interest Group (CTSIG), sharing best practices in developing our service. A very visible part of the Pharmacy contribution to clinical trials and research is in the dispensing of medicines to patients or study subjects. Pharmacy work to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and have processes in place to deal with problems such as temperature deviations or medicine defects. Medicines are generally dispensed from the local hospital pharmacy where the patient is attending for their study visits. All Pharmacy sites in NHSGGC currently provide or have the potential to provide local services to support research.
What happens if my clinical trial does not come under the clinical trial regulations but still involves medicines?
R&I work closely with Pharmacy to ensure you are given the best advice.
What can I do to help obtain Pharmacy approval for my study?
To help ensure your trial receives Pharmacy approval as quickly as possible, you should approach R&I and Pharmacy in the early planning stages. Often there is a site selection process by the Sponsor and the Pharmacy Team should be included in that process. Pharmacy staff will often need to ask some follow-up questions and it is very helpful if researchers keep in contact with Pharmacy staff and update them on their progress and proposed start dates.
What is the procedure if my study involves multiple sites within NHSGGC?
A system of single pharmacy review and approval is in development for multi-site clinical trials within NHSGGC. If you are aware your study is going to run over two or more sites, you should contact the R&I-Pharmacy Pharmacy Project Officer/Facilitator in the first instance.
Who should I contact if I have a query with my hosted clinical trial?
The first point of call should be your local site Portfolio Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team contact, alternatively you can contact the R&I Pharmacy Team if you have a general query.
What will it cost for Pharmacy Clinical Trial Services?
Pharmacy work with R&I Finance to cost of the Pharmacy service undertaking a research project, using nationally agreed costs and processes. Pharmacy Clinical Trials Services are required to charge for their involvement in all commercial clinical trials. Similarly there are costs for participating in non-commercial research – also cited as per nationally agreed process using AcORD. Depending on the design of non-commercial research, some Pharmacy support services may be free-of-charge to researchers undertaking non-commercial research.
Do I need to notify Pharmacy if I have received a protocol amendment?
Pharmacy should receive notification of protocol amendments for hosted trials by R&I and the Sponsor, however, investigators are responsible for ensuring all relevant staff have access to the correct study protocol. It would be helpful if you verified this with the local Pharmacy site. If you need advice relating to the potential impact of your amendment on Pharmacy, you should contact your site Portfolio Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team or the R&I Pharmacy Project Officer/Facilitator if your clinical trial involves multiple sites.
What qualifications, skills and experience do Pharmacy have in research and clinical trials?
The Pharmacy Clinical Trial Teams throughout NHSGGC are composed from a mix of Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Support Workers and a Pharmacy Project Officer/Facilitator. In addition to each staff group’s professional and vocational qualifications, all Pharmacy clinical trial staff undergo regular Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) training. Many of our staff have significant experience of working within research and clinical trials over several years.
How do Pharmacy Services link in with research and innovation?
The R&I Sponsor Pharmacy Team are based in the R&I Management Office in the grounds of Dykebar Hospital. This team forms the central hub of communication between R&I and the wider Portfolio Pharmacy Clinical Trials service. Communication is also conducted directly between R&I and the Pharmacy sites in acute hospitals as necessary.
What should I do when my research study or clinical trial is nearing an end?
IIt is helpful if you let Pharmacy know when you are planning to stop recruiting new patients and/or when patients have completed active treatment involving medicines. This can help Pharmacy ensure they have sufficient supplies to the end of the study in the most cost-effective way. It is standard practice for the Pharmacy file to be archived with the investigators file and arrangements will need to be made with your local Portfolio Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team.
I am planning a study involving medicines that will be sponsored or co-sponsored by NHSGGC, what do I do?
If you are planning a new clinical trial or research where medicines are used then you should contact the relevant R&I Co-ordinator in the first instance. The co-ordinator will then alert the R&I Sponsor Pharmacy Team who will work with you to develop the IMP management processes for your clinical trial and liaise with the relevant site Portfolio Pharmacy Teams that may host the research within NHSGGC.
What is an IMP?
IMP stands for Investigational Medicinal Product and is the special term used for medicines when they are studied as part of a clinical trial or used as part of a study protocol. Any medicines used within a clinical trial or research study must be of an appropriate quality and this is governed by UK/EU legislation. A key role of Pharmacy is to ensure the medicines used within research are always of a suitable standard for administration to study subjects.
I’m Planning to participate in hosted clinical research involving medicines on behalf of a commercial/non-commercial Sponsor: Does Pharmacy need to be involved in my research?
Pharmacy reviews all hosted clinical trials and research studies where medicines are used. This will ensure the proposed study meets standards around the management of medicines in research e.g. they are the appropriate quality, and the study meets the requirements of NHS GG&C Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines Policy.
Can R&I Sponsor Pharmacy help me with my research proposal?
Yes, R&I Sponsor Pharmacy will work closely with R&I to assist you with the design and IMP related aspects of your protocol. We will be involved from grant application to close out of your research project. We will provide costs in relation to the medicines and pharmacy aspects of the trial for inclusion in the grant. This will include the pharmacy costs for participating sites, as per ACoRD. Real costs incurred such as manufacturing costs and the cost of additional medicines over standard care need to be met out of the study funding and these will be provided for inclusion in the grant application. In addition, we will provide IMP Management documents, prescription forms, accountability logs and any other documents required to ensure the safe handling and administration of medicines in projects sponsored or co-sponsored by NHSGGC. We will provide support in relation to the medicine to participating sites and to the trial management group for the life of the research project.
How do I source my IMP for a project sponsored or co-sponsored by NHSGGC?
The R&I Sponsor Pharmacy Team will be able to assist you with sourcing IMPs and any other medicines that may be required for your research. There may be option to use NHS licensed manufacturing units, but R&I Sponsor Pharmacy will advise you on potential contractors to deliver the medicines required for your project.
I am planning a study involving medicines that will be hosted within NHSGGC, what should I do?
If the clinical trial is to be run at only one site within NHSGGC, you should contact the site Pharmacy as soon as possible. However, Pharmacy will not undertake a formal review for approval or begin setting up your study until notified by R&I. If the clinical trial is to be run over two or more sites within NHSGGC, contact the R&I-Pharmacy Team as soon as possible.
Pharmacy Contact Details
Contact
CRIF Approval Group:
Email: CRIFDevelopmentApplications@ggc.scot.nhs.uk (Abbey Rea)
Tracey Hopkins
Lead Research Radiographer
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Call: 0141 201 2455
Email: tracey.hopkins@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
CRIF Approval Group for MR Optimisation
Research often involves new MR imaging techniques, and optimisation of these techniques is essential before they can be successfully applied in clinical studies. The CRIF Approval Group is responsible for reviewing and approving requests for access to the research scanners for technical development and proof of principle MR research projects. Researchers requesting optimisation of imaging study protocols will complete a CRIF Development Application Form and submit to CRIF Approval Group. The CRIF ApprovalGroup will assess both the scientific aspects of the protocol as well as conduct an ethical review under delegated authority from the main REC. The CRIF Approval Group meet monthly.
Useful documents (hyperlinks):
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VOLUNTEER LAY REP POSITION AVAILABLE
Urgent Call for members
Clinical Research Imaging Facility Approval Group
COMMITTEE DETAILS:
Clinical Research Imaging Facility (CRIF) Approval Group
Delegated by West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee
Expected meeting date: Monthly – Usually the last Tuesday every month
Meeting Duration: 1-2 hours
Volume of activity: maximum of 3 imaging development applications considered per meeting
Location: Online
We have an opportunity for those interested in health research and ethics. Research Ethics Committee members are volunteers who review new research projects taking place in the UK from an ethical viewpoint, protecting patients and the public while promoting good ethical research. The West of Scotland Research Ethics Service is currently seeking to recruit a new member, either Expert or Lay to support the Clinical Research Imaging Facility (CRIF) Approval Group, which specifically reviews studies that are developing new scanning techniques with MRI. Since March 2020 meetings have been conducted virtually (currently via Microsoft Teams), which allows us to expand our membership outside of the Glasgow area and avoid travel.
The committee reviews research applications and gives an opinion as to whether the research is ethical. The position can be highly rewarding and covers a diverse range of research topics. Projects are focused on developing scanning techniques and may involve healthy volunteers as well as patients. You should expect to spend approximately 2 hours per month at meetings and some additional time in preparatory work. Meetings provide an opportunity to interact with researchers and discuss proposals. REC members receive training in ethical review and have opportunities to debate challenging ethical issues.
The work is voluntary and involves reading submissions prior to the meeting and attending a monthly meeting of the CRIF Approval Group (there are usually about 11 meetings in the year). Training is provided.
Meetings are generally scheduled for the last Tuesday afternoon each month, approximately 2-4pm, but may vary depending on availability of members.
Members may also be involved in follow-on work, which is generally conducted via email.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE EMAIL – CRIFDevelopmentApplications@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
2024 – Lay Rep Application Form
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Volunteers Needed for MRI Scans
The MRI Research Team at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is looking for volunteers to undergo an MRI scan so that we can test and optimise new techniques before they are used in clinical research studies.
Please click here for more information
The Research and Innovation Finance team actively contributes to the delivery of clinical research and innovation projects, working closely with research teams, coordinators and project managers to:
- Secure funding for research and innovation projects in line with ACORD national research costing guidelines
- Provide robust financial management of research and innovation contracts – typically milestone or recruitment driven
- Provide timely financial advice and business support to research active professionals across NHSGGC.
Who does what?
Sandra Quinn – Head of R&I Finance
Brenda Colvin – Senior R&I Accountant
Lee Irvine – Senior R&I Accountant
Paul Kerins – Senior R&I Accountant
Paula Rainey – R&I Projects Accountant
BCRF Portfolio (ON; HM; MG)*
Generic email: BCRF, R&I Finance
Vacancy – BCRF Lead R&I Accountant
Polina Ferguson – BCRF R&I Accountant
Mason Simpson – BCRF R&I Accountant
Jodie Richmond – BCRF R&I Accountant
GCRF Portfolio (A-Z excluding ON; HM; MG)*
Generic email: GCRF, R&I Finance
Sehrish Ali-Siddiqi– GCRF Lead R&I Accountant
Alison McKenzie – GCRF R&I Accountant
Karen Hyslop – GCRF R&I Accountant
Tracie Coote – GCRF R&I Accountant
*NOTE: Portfolios are based on Activity Areas from the R&I project reference
The R&I Finance Team can be found at the following address:
R&I Finance Department
Ward 16
Dykebar Hospital
Grahamston Road
Paisley, PA2 7DE
Scotland, UK
The Safe Haven is the result of a unique collaboration between NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Research & Innovation and the Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, offering an excellent resource for health-related data research in Scotland. All Safe Haven staff are trained in ICH Good Clinical Practice and regularly undertake training in a variety of research related subjects.
The goal of the Safe Haven is ambitious to achieve but simple in concept; to establish a large research resource which is able to link health information datasets at patient level, to provide answers to clinical research questions and inform health service improvement.
For more information, click here for the Safe Haven Website
Glasgow Clinical Research Facility (GCRF) was established in 2006 as a small compact unit based at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) with funding provided from the Scottish Government via the Chief Scientist Office.
We now boast state-of-the-art facilities at sites across the city, including the new £5million adult and paediatric Clinical Research Facility at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Campus, jointly run by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and the University of Glasgow.We have in-patient beds, clinical trial pharmacy, laboratory and bio-repository storage facilities.
The GCRF is integrated with outstanding imaging facilities within which CRF imaging staff work in partnership with those in the service and University. The world-class calibre of these facilities is ensured by the imminent arrival of the 7T scanner one the most-powerful kind to be used within a clinical research setting.
The 8 original staff members staff have expanded to a team of 90 specialised multidisciplinary staff which support a portfolio of over 250 clinical research studies, ranging from complex early phase or novel technique experimental medicine to large population-based public health initiatives.
Our team
Where to find us
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Institute of Neurological Sciences
1345 Govan Road
Glasgow G51 4TF
Call: 0141 232 7600
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
New Lister Building
10 Alexandra Parade
Glasgow G31 2ER
Call: 0141 201 3770
Get in touch
For more information visit our webpages on the NHS Research Scotland website or email us Glasgow.crf@ggc.scot.nhs.uk and follow us on twitter @GlasgowCRF