Research at Our Practice

Supporting NHS Research

Our Thanet practices is proud to take part in NHS research as part of the Thanet Health Research Hub. This means we work with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and other approved research organisations to help improve treatments, develop new medicines and improve the way healthcare is delivered.

Taking part in research is always your choice, and most people who take part say they do so because they want to help improve care for future patients.

How we identify patients for research

Sometimes we look at our patient records to identify people who may be suitable for a particular study. This is done securely and only by authorised NHS staff.
If we think you may be suitable, we may contact you by:

• Text message
• A letter
• A phone call
• During your consultation

You are never obliged to take part, and saying no will not affect your care in any way.

What happens if I choose to take part?

If you decide to take part in a study:

• You will receive full written information
• You can ask questions at any time
• You may be asked to complete questionnaires, speak to a researcher, try a new treatment or allow a researcher to view parts of your medical record relevant to the study
• You can withdraw at any time

How we protect your privacy

We take your confidentiality extremely seriously.

• Researchers only access your information with your permission
• Any data shared for national research is pseudonymised (your name and NHS number are removed and replaced with a code)
• All research is approved by the Health Research Authority (HRA) and NHS ethics committees
• All organisations we work with follow UK GDPR and data‑protection law

National Data Opt‑Out

You can choose whether your confidential patient information is used for research and planning across the NHS.
Your choice won’t affect the care you receive.

More information and how to set your preference

You can also tell us directly if you do not want your data used for research identification within our practice.

Want to get involved in research?

Taking part in research helps improve healthcare for everyone and may give you access to new tests, treatments or ways of managing a condition.

If you're interested in finding out more, please speak to a member of our team.