At MCH we are committed to conducting, supporting and facilitating research across our community services. We work to high standards making sure that our Good Clinical Practice guidelines are at the heart of everything we do. We are currently funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network Kent, Surrey and Sussex. They are the local arm of the National Institute of Health Research which in turn is the research arm of the NHS.

Research was made a priority for the NHS, in the government’s 2012 White paper. Since then research activity has increased dramatically throughout the country. Now the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has recognised the impact of research by including research questions into the CQC inspection framework for well-led category. This aims to help reinforce the role of research in delivering quality patient care. MCH is working closely with other services, universities, industries and with other NHS and non NHS healthcare providers to offer our patients the chance to take part in ground breaking research. We have been very busy over the last 4 years and as a result we have opened studies across our services and being involved in European Research Projects. Our aim is to be able to offer all our patients the chance to take part in research.