UK Clinical
Research Delivery
A cross-sector
programme
This site is under development
UK Clinical Research Delivery (UKCRD) is a cross-sector programme that brings together delivery partners and key stakeholders to achieve the common aim of creating a faster, more efficient, more accessible and more innovative clinical research delivery system – making the UK a world leader in clinical trials.
UKCRD replaces the UK Clinical Research Recovery, Resilience and Growth (RRG) Programme, as the sector is no longer in recovery, given huge progress with:
- Global and European ‘Firsts’ provide an indication of an agile and efficiently running clinical trials system characterised by streamlined set-up and recruitment processes. This year, 16 people in England were the first participants in global trials, and 37 were the first participants in European trials. In 2024-2025, 516 commercial international, multi-site studies were opened to recruitment, 53 of which (10.1%) recruited a Global or European First in England to a commercial contract study.
- For the third year in a row, research sites in England have recruited an increased number of First Global Participants and First European Participants to groundbreaking health and care clinical trials – an indication of an agile system. In 2024/2025, 16 people in England were the first participants in global trials, and 37 were the first participants in European trials.
- Recruitment is buoyant. Overall recruitment, and recruitment into commercial contract studies on the NIHR Portfolio continues to exceed pre-COVID-19 levels.
- NHS Contracting has been standardised. UK-wide introduction of the National Contract Value Review (NCVR) which standardised processes for costing and contracting. 100% of NHS trusts in England accept the local price generated as part of the NCVR process for late-phase studies without further negotiation following agreement of the resource required by the lead site.
- Regulators are on target. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) are broadly delivering combined review within the 60 day target set out in the UK Clinical Research Delivery Performance Indicators Report and backlogs have been cleared.
Looking ahead
Partners of the UKCRD programme are working to develop an ambitious strategy to support and deliver the Government plans, including the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan, to reform the health and care system and make it fit for the future. The plan will set out a bold agenda for clinical research to align delivery with the three big reform shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention.
Latest UKCRD Projects
News & Updates
November 2025 edition
- Published
October 2025 edition
- Published
September 2025 edition
- Published