Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s (MFT) Research and Innovation Division drives continuous improvement in patient care through clinical research, working with industry and strategic partnerships. With a current annual turnover of £56million, the Division supports 300 principal investigators, 150 research nurses and midwives and 70 trial coordinator staff, to deliver around 500 studies a year. It also provides access to clinical expertise to inform understanding of market need and develop/trial new diagnostics and devices.
Through research, the Trust is making a real difference to people’s lives. Bernie, 73, from Preston was the first person in the UK to be fitted with eyeWatch technology developed at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital as part of a clinical trial. EyeWatch is an adjustable surgical implant to drain excess fluid caused by glaucoma – an eye condition affecting 70 million people worldwide which is associated with a build up of pressure and fluid in the eye.
The study, led by MFT, will test the contribution of eyeWatch to the treatment of advanced glaucoma that has not previously responded to surgery. Bernie commented, “It’s fantastic to know that my eye pressure can be controlled without having to undergo further surgery. Taking part in research has given me a new lease of life.”