Why hospitals that run trials are safer

NHS hospitals that run lots of clinical trials are the safest and provide the best care.

That’s the message from a study by the University of Cumbria, involving 120 NHS trusts across England.

The researchers found those that ran trials had lower mortality rates than hospitals not involved in research. They also tended to be rated more highly by the Care Quality Commission, the body that inspects NHS trusts.

Researchers believe the strict monitoring and scrutiny involved in trials, such as those for new drug treatments, may transfer to other areas of a hospital’s care.