Recently, Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (CRF: Oxford Health) hosted an Open Afternoon at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford for staff, patients, study participants and the public to learn about the ground-breaking research being conducted at the Facility.
The event took place on International Clinical Trials Day (20 May), an annual celebration of those who take part in and deliver life-changing clinical trials.
Visitors were welcomed by friendly staff offering tours of the Facility. Guests were shown around the laboratory where blood, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid samples from research participants are processed, the infusion and psychedelic rooms where study drugs are administered by CRF: Oxford Health healthcare practitioners to participants and the CRF: Oxford Health courtyard, where visitors could relax and listen to a sound art installation of poetry recordings.
Informational stalls were set-up outside in garden, offering visitors the chance to read through study materials in the sunshine over tea and cake while listening to pianist and CRF: Oxford Health study participant Nick Gill, play the keyboard.
Attendees had the opportunity to speak to researchers from CRF: Oxford Health and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust’s (OH FT) Memory and Cognition Research Delivery Team about a range of studies into conditions including dementia, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Visitors were invited to contribute to a mosaic, a collaboration artwork project between staff, patients and the public which is led by local artist Becky Paton.
CRF: Oxford Health Director Professor Andrea Cipriani was asked to lay the first tile in the mosaic.
Professor Cipriani said: “Events such as these are a great way to show the ‘behind the scenes’ work that our CRF: Oxford Health staff carry out. A huge thank you to Angela Conlan and everyone who took the time to help organise they day, it was a great success.”
The OH FT Pharmacy team were also present, sharing information on how drugs used for studies are carefully controlled and delivered to CRF: Oxford Health.
Event organiser Angela Conlan, CRF: Oxford Health Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation Lead, said: “It was lovely to share the great work we do at the CRF with such a wide cross section of people from the across the trust, the public and beyond. We have received wonderful feedback from those who visited, with all saying that they would recommend the CRF to family and friends.”
To learn more about taking part in CRF: Oxford Health in research, visit the CRF: Oxford Health Get Involved pages.
