Study Set-Up: Trust level set up report

Updated 3rd September 2026

Table of Contents

Overview

The UK government is committed to reducing the set-up time for clinical trials from over 250 days to under 150 days by March 2026. Reducing set-up times for commercial interventional clinical trials is a headline action in the Life Science Sector Plan

Alongside this, there is a policy expectation that all participating sites in England complete the parts of the set-up process they are responsible for all studies within 90 days.

This report measures the performance of NHS trusts in meeting this 90‑day site‑level part of the 150-day target for commercial interventional clinical trials. Sites will have met the target when they recruit its first participant within 90 days of either receiving regulatory approval, or being selected as a site, whichever occurs later.  

This report supersedes previous editions of the trust-level set up report published on the UKCRD programme website between April 2025 and May 2026.

Whilst it presents data for commercial interventional clinical trials in the first instance, reporting of data for non-commercial and observational studies is expected in the future.

This report will be published monthly. Data are monitored on an ongoing, real‑time basis, and sites are encouraged to enter data as soon as possible.

Data sources and coverage

This report uses data from the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS). The data cover commercially sponsored interventional clinical research studies in England that are recorded on the CPMS.

For the purpose of this report, the following exclusion criteria apply: extension studies, rare disease studies, and low-recruiting studies.

For definitions on extension studies, rare disease studies and low-recruiting studies, please refer to further guidance. Low-recruiting studies are defined in relation to the overall study cohort size, not the numbers of participants taking part in a study at an individual site.

Data quality

Data quality depends on the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of information entered into CPMS and local portfolio management systems by sponsors and research sites.

There may be delays in data entry by sponsors or sites, data are updated retrospectively in future reports.

How performance is measured

This report shows the percentage of commercial contract interventional studies in England on CPMS that opened to recruitment at an NHS trust within 90 calendar days of:

  • receiving Health Research Authority (HRA) approval, or
  • the Date Site Selected,

whichever occurs later.

For sites selected before regulatory approval, the clock starts on the date HRA approval is received. For sites selected after regulatory approval, the clock starts on the Date Site Selected. In all cases, the clock stops when the first participant undertakes their first visit at the site.

The time between Date Site Confirmed and Date Site Ready to Start is excluded from the reporting metric, as this period is recognised as being outside the control of the site.

The report also presents information on the two distinct stages of site set‑up:

  1. Site opening, which is the time from HRA approval (or Date Site Selected, if later) to Date Site Confirmed. The milestone is less than 60 days.
  2. Recruitment of a first participant, which is the time from Date Site Ready to Start to the date the first participant undertakes their first visit at the site. The milestone is less than 30 days.

Together, these stages make up the overall 90‑day site‑level element of the 150-day target.

The report presents figures for all instances of recruitment of a first participant to a commercial interventional clinical trial in the last 6-month period.

NHS trusts that have recruited a participant to two or fewer studies are presented in a separate data table. This supports data validity by ensuring that percentage figures are comparable only where larger sample sizes of three or more studies are available. Smaller sample sizes can lead to disproportionate variation in percentage figures, whereas larger ones provide more stable and reliable indicators of performance. 

Data tables

Report date:  03 September 2026

NIHR RDN data cut date: 01 September 2026

Delivery of commercial interventional studies on the NIHR RDN portfolio since 01 March 2026, using the definitions in published guidance.

Sites that have delivered 3 studies or more

Trust nameTrust codeNumber of studies that have recruited first participant since 01 March 2026% studies completing set-up within 90 days of approval or selectionMedian days taken to complete set-up from study approval or site selection% studies opening within 60 days of approval or site selectionMedian days taken to site opening from study approval or site selection% studies recruiting first participant within 30 days of site openingMedian days taken to recruit first participant from site opening
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustREM5100%56100%460%23
Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation TrustRRE3100%54100%51100%3
London North West University Healthcare NHS TrustR1K786%6586%4286%21
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustRYR683%7383%5083%24
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation TrustRHM1080%8080%2760%29
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustRWA580%4280%3580%7
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS TrustRK9580%51100%3480%21
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRTD2277%52100%1350%31
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation TrustRPY2277%5782%3877%16
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation TrustRM3771%72100%2243%42
Barts Health NHS TrustR1H1867%7472%4878%19
North Bristol NHS TrustRVJ967%7289%2867%22
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRAE967%6478%5778%8
Somerset NHS Foundation TrustRH5967%3589%2678%24
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation TrustRV5667%5450%4467%15
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRHQ367%7067%2267%29
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation TrustR0B367%6267%5467%20
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRXL367%59100%4067%19
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation TrustREN560%83100%2040%71
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS TrustRWF560%6360%3460%29
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRRV1354%8762%4738%43
Imperial College Healthcare NHS TrustRYJ1354%6677%2462%20
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS TrustRWE1050%7050%5580%11
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS TrustRWH650%11050%6767%16
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRQM450%8475%3750%47
Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRA2450%13725%10850%32
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation TrustRNA450%126100%1525%101
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation TrustRCU450%9675%3225%57
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustRRK1741%14453%5835%37
Bristol NHS Foundation TrustRA71540%9760%4953%27
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustRL4540%21980%3440%179
Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustR0A1338%10477%5331%42
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRH8633%16733%7750%43
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS TrustREF333%13933%6933%61
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustRJ12532%14532%10656%30
The Christie NHS Foundation TrustRBV2025%15430%8625%52
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRGT1225%13358%3942%48
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustRD1425%13775%400%90
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRJZ1421%15929%8314%70
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation TrustRA9520%13460%4440%34
Royal Free London NHS Foundation TrustRAL617%25617%12617%92
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRM1617%12033%7133%50
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS TrustRX1714%15729%10829%49
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRTH120%19917%11225%56
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustRR870%29929%15114%115
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRJ760%14633%9317%64
Oxford Health NHS Foundation TrustRNU50%22920%1310%88
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRTE30%19133%690%111

Sites that have delivered 2 studies or fewer

Trust nameTrust codeNumber of studies that have recruited first participant since 01 March 2026% studies completing set-up within 90 days of approval or selectionMedian days taken to complete set-up from study approval or site selection% studies opening within 60 days of approval or site selectionMedian days taken to site opening from study approval or site selection% studies recruiting first participant within 30 days of site openingMedian days taken to recruit first participant from site opening
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS TrustRKB2100%53100%37100%16
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRFS2100%22100%20100%2
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRXN1100%56100%50100%6
George Eliot Hospital NHS TrustRLT2100%20100%5100%15
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRW11100%44100%40100%4
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS TrustRWP2100%28100%22100%6
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS TrustRHU2100%61100%2450%38
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustRXW1100%870%78100%9
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation TrustRVV1100%790%71100%8
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation TrustRDE1100%32100%23100%9
East of England Community Health and Care NHS TrustRY31100%65100%36100%29
Central London Community Healthcare NHS TrustRYX1100%86100%59100%27
Devon Partnership NHS TrustRWV1100%15100%7100%8
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS TrustRJ21100%45100%34100%11
Northampton General Hospital NHS TrustRNS1100%840%71100%13
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRAS1100%35100%13100%22
West Suffolk NHS Foundation TrustRGR1100%70100%160%54
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation TrustRRF1100%5100%0100%5
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRGM250%89100%3350%56
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRTF250%21750%11050%107
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS TrustRXF250%11050%103100%7
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRGP250%74100%3150%43
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation TrustRVW250%1110%100100%12
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustRTP250%69100%3750%32
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustRXR250%13850%6250%76
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation TrustRAJ250%2690%12550%144
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustRWD250%9450%7650%18
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation TrustRTX250%1020%100100%2
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation TrustRXP250%68100%3750%31
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRTR10%3270%880%239
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRP610%1650%1030%62
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation TrustRHW10%3130%790%234
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation TrustRTG10%3400%1250%215
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustRJE20%1710%12050%51
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation TrustRQ310%215100%400%175
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation TrustRWY10%1560%940%62
Frimley Health NHS Foundation TrustRDU20%15850%750%83
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation TrustRP410%1640%620%102
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRN320%2420%790%163
Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation TrustTAH20%19450%14550%49
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRXX10%116100%390%77
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation TrustRBS20%1660%12750%39
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRFF10%453100%160%437
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation TrustRT110%2990%269100%30
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation TrustRX420%2430%20750%37
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRBD10%148100%600%88
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRN510%319100%340%285
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation TrustRW510%3340%1040%230
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRBQ10%1190%104100%15
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation TrustRX310%2320%860%146
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation TrustR0D20%11650%6950%48
Wye Valley NHS TrustRLQ10%2980%700%228
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRYW10%2720%243100%29
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRXM10%137100%470%90
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRGD10%91100%270%64
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS TrustRAN10%3560%850%271
Shropshire Community Health NHS TrustR1D10%174100%480%126
Stockport NHS Foundation TrustRWJ10%134100%300%104
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation TrustRET10%168100%380%130
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRBL10%512100%370%475
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation TrustRCX0------
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustRBN0------
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS TrustRQW0------
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRCB0------
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRJ80------
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRJR0------
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation TrustRR70------
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation TrustRMP0------
Whittington Health NHS TrustRKE0------
Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRTK0------
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS TrustRF40------
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS TrustRXQ0------
Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation TrustRY80------
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRP50------
East London NHS Foundation TrustRWK0------
East Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustRXC0------
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS TrustR1A0------
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRQX0------
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRNQ0------
Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation TrustRAX0------
Leeds Community Healthcare NHS TrustRY60------
Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation TrustREP0------
Medway NHS Foundation TrustRPA0------
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRD80------
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation TrustRWW0------
North West Anglia NHS Foundation TrustRGN0------
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRHA0------
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRPC0------
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation TrustRXE0------
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS TrustRXK0------
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRK50------
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRL10------
Walsall Healthcare NHS TrustRBK0------
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustRWG0------
Airedale NHS Foundation TrustRCF0------
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustRVN0------
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS TrustRRP0------
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRC90------
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRWX0------
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustRXT0------
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustTAJ0------
Bolton NHS Foundation TrustRMC0------
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation TrustTAD0------
Camden and Islington NHS Foundation TrustTAF0------
Central and North West London NHS Foundation TrustRV30------
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRXA0------
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS TrustRYG0------
Croydon Health Services NHS TrustRJ60------
Dartford and Gravesham NHS TrustRN70------
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation TrustRDY0------
Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS TrustRYK0------
East Cheshire NHS TrustRJN0------
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS TrustRX90------
East of England Ambulance Service NHS TrustRYC0------
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS TrustRVR0------
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation TrustR1L0------
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation TrustRTQ0------
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustRXV0------
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation TrustRCD0------
Hertfordshire Community NHS TrustRY40------
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation TrustRWR0------
Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS TrustRY90------
Humber Teaching NHS Foundation TrustRV90------
Isle of Wight NHS TrustR1F0------
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS TrustRXY0------
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation TrustRYY0------
Leicestershire Partnership NHS TrustRT50------
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS TrustRY50------
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRP70------
London Ambulance Service NHS TrustRRU0------
Mersey Care NHS Foundation TrustRW40------
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRBT0------
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation TrustRMY0------
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation TrustRNN0------
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustRX60------
North East London NHS Foundation TrustRAT0------
North London NHS Foundation TrustG6V2S0------
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS TrustRAP0------
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS TrustRLY0------
North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustRX70------
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustRP10------
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation TrustRJL0------
Oxleas NHS Foundation TrustRPG0------
Pennine Care NHS Foundation TrustRT20------
Salisbury NHS Foundation TrustRNZ0------
Solent NHS TrustR1C0------
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustRYE0------
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustRYD0------
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation TrustRJC0------
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS TrustRQY0------
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRXG0------
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustRYF0------
Sussex Community NHS Foundation TrustRDR0------
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustRX20------
The Rotherham NHS Foundation TrustRFR0------
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRRJ0------
West London NHS TrustRKL0------
West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation TrustRYA0------
Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation TrustRY70------
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS TrustRX80------