Improving clinical trial delivery through integration of pharmacy and research and innovation departments: an evaluation of a pharmacy technician-led service

Abstract Introduction Clinical trials are essential for generating evidence on the safety and effectiveness of medicines, and pharmacy teams play an important role in managing investigational medicinal products.1 Efficient and timely pharmacy input is critical to support safe and effective trial delivery. However, a local service evaluation (September–December 2022) showed prolonged clinical trial prescription turnaround times, with an average of 52 minutes. A root cause analysis identified fragmented processes, including the use of different systems across teams, and the physical separation between the pharmacy clinical trials team and the Research and Innovation (R&I) department as major contributors to these delays. To address this, from March 2023 the pharmacy clinical trials team was relocated and fully integrated within the R&I Department, creating a pharmacy technician-led research delivery model with full access to the R&I digital research management system. Aim The aim of this project was to evaluate the impact of embedding the pharmacy clinical trials team within the R&I department in the context of a pharmacy technician-led service. The objectives were to: 1) assess changes in prescription turnaround times before and after relocation, 2) explore staff experiences and views on interdepartmental collaboration, and 3) understand staff opinions on the impact of pharmacy access to digital research management systems. Methods For Objective 1, clinical trial prescription turnaround time data were collected from November 2023 to April 2024 and compared with baseline figures. For Objectives 2 and 3, qualitative data were gathered through three group interviews, involving the pharmacy clinical trials team, research delivery team (research nurses), and research governance team, with a total of ten participants. The interview guide focused on the staff experiences of interdepartmental collaboration, workflow, patient service, and the use of digital tools such as the EDGE research management system. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and anonymised for analysis using thematic analysis. Results Average clinical trial prescription turnaround times improved from 52 minutes pre-relocation to 26 minutes post-relocation, with evidence of sustained improvement over subsequent months. Emerging themes from staff feedback included enhanced communication, greater efficiency in clinic operations, and increased confidence in the reliability of pharmacy support. Some staff also suggested improved patient satisfaction due to reduced waiting times for trial medication. Qualitative findings further highlighted that the use of EDGE supported better workflow integration, transparency, and communication across departments. Conclusion This project shows that embedding pharmacy services within the R&I department, in the context of a pharmacy technician-led model, can improve the delivery of clinical trials. It aligns with the Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan, particularly in digital transformation, workforce redesign, and innovation.2 Positive staff feedback reflected stronger collaboration, more streamlined processes, and a greater shared responsibility for patient care within clinical trials. Limitations include the single-centre design, the absence of formal patient feedback, and a focus on prescription turnaround times and qualitative data rather than wider clinical outcomes. However, this model may be considered by other NHS Trusts or research-active sites to strengthen research capacity and efficiency.