“It’s the duty of every doctor to get involved with research”

A chance encounter with his trust’s head of research led Tarek Saba, consultant respiratory physician at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to consider taking part in research. Saba was encouraged to apply for funding and became the second highest recruiter of patients in his first trial.

Since starting that trial eight years ago1 he has taken part in 15 other studies, and he now has four research nurses working alongside him, is involved in a local research network, and has persuaded his colleagues to join him.

Saba is evangelical.

“It’s been tremendous,” he says. “It’s added a whole new area of interest to my work. It started off as a hobby and has become an essential part of our work here.”

Saba explains that participation in clinical trials has given him access to a network of doctors in other parts of the country.

“You benchmark your practice against theirs, you form personal relationships with them, and you can get help with your patients,” he says.