Health Minister officially opens pioneering clinical trials centre at Ulster Hospital
The Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has officially opened a ground-breaking Clinical Trials Centre at the Ulster Hospital.
This facility will provide access to world-class research that will benefit patients in Northern Ireland.
Clinical research within Health and Social Care offers significant benefits, giving patients early access to medical breakthroughs, innovative treatments and improved care.
The new Centre has been developed as a partnership between the South Eastern Trust and Health and Social Care Research & Development (HSC R&D), following a significant £12.6 million investment in research over the next five years.
Equipped with 23 rooms, the Ulster Hospital Clinical Trials Centre includes consultation examination rooms, a meeting room, a dedicated drug dispensary, a central observation unit for drug monitoring (including overnight stays), an infusion suite and an onsite laboratory testing area linked to the hospital’s core laboratory.
Among the first to benefit from the new Centre is cardiology research patient, Moya Gibson, who is taking part in the VICTORION-1-PREVENT study led by Consultant Chemical Pathologist, Dr Kathryn Ryan at the South Eastern Trust.
Moya has been identified as being at very high risk for future heart disease. Traditional risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol can be easily identified and treated. Her condition causes her to have episodes of dizziness.
Moya explained: “The Centre here at the Ulster Hospital is a great step forward.
"Without clinical research, there would be no cures. I feel you have to take some personal responsibility for your health. By taking part in research, you are helping for the greater good.
“I’m on a double-blind trial here at the Ulster Hospital, so I do not know whether I am on a placebo or not, but I have had a really positive experience.
"The professionalism and reassurance from the staff has been fantastic, I am looking forward to seeing what the outcome of the research will be and whether it has made a difference.”
Speaking at the launch, the Health Minister said: “It is a privilege to officially open this pioneering Clinical Trials Centre, which will expand research activity and improve access to innovative treatments for people across Northern Ireland.
"Research is at the heart of transforming our Health and Social Care system, improving patient outcomes and supporting economic growth.
"I want to sincerely thank all the staff whose dedication makes this work possible, as well as our industry partners, for their commitment to advancing research and delivering better care.”
Professor Patrick Donnelly commented: “It is a privilege to be a part of this initiative and I am grateful for the support of our Trust and HSC R&D.
“Ultimately, the research we deliver will benefit our patients directly. We will target the conditions that affect them most and attract research that will provide them with faster access to life-changing treatments.”
South Eastern Trust, Chief Executive, Roisin Coulter, added: “This new Clinical Trials Centre marks an exciting milestone for the South Eastern Trust and for healthcare research in Northern Ireland. It will enable us to work at the forefront of global innovation, ensuring our patients have access to the very latest developments in treatment and care.”