The Government published its response to the consultation on the implementation of the NHS White Paper  “Liberating the NHS: Legislative framework and next steps” on 14 December 2010.

The document emphasises the importance of the conduct of research, and the use of research evidence, as key elements of the NHS, and confirms the support of stakeholders for this approach.

In particular the document:

Highlights that many respondents to the consultation welcomed the Government’s commitment to the promotion and conduct of research as a core NHS role and recognition of the importance of a thriving life sciences industry:

“The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation echoed the view of others when it said it “welcomes the Coalition Government’s NHS White Paper and its commitment, in line with the NHS Constitution, to ‘innovation and to the promotion and conduct of research to improve the current and future health and care of the population’”. (para 3.45)

Confirms the support from respondents to the consultation for the extension of choice regarding research:

“Rare Disease UK welcomed in particular the White Paper commitments… to provide more information about research studies”.  (para 2.17)

Restates the Government’s commitment to health research:

“Supporting and promoting research and development will be a core function of the future Department of Health, and the Government remains committed to providing the right environment for innovation to flourish. The increased funding for health research announced in the recent Spending Review gives us a strong platform to fulfil this ambition”. (para 3.46)

Confirms the Government’s commitment to reducing research bureaucracy:
“Currently a number of different arm’s-length bodies have responsibility for different aspects of research regulation, including giving permissions. There is a strong argument for rationalising this and creating greater strategic coherence around research by placing responsibility for these different aspects of medical research regulation within one arm’s-length body that would perform a standalone technical function as a research regulator.  We have asked the Academy of Medical Sciences to conduct an independent review of the regulation and governance of medical research. In the light of this review, we will consider the legislation affecting medical research, and the bureaucracy that flows from it, and bring forward plans for radical simplification”. (para 3.47)

Confirms the support of stakeholders for this approach:

There was support from respondents such as the five Academic Health Science Centres, who agreed that “Changes to the regulatory environment are required to incentivise companies to conduct clinical trials in the UK, rather than elsewhere”, and said “we applaud the Government’s commitment to research within the NHS”. (para 3.47)

Confirms that the forthcoming Health and Social Care Bill will place duties with respect to research on the new NHS Commissioning Board:

“The Bill will put duties on the Board…to promote involvement in research and the use of research evidence.” (para 4.58)

Confirms that the forthcoming Health and Social Care Bill will place duties with respect to research on Monitor as an economic regulator:

“Monitor will also have explicit duties to have regard to the need to promote research and investment by providers, and to the need to secure continuous improvement in the quality of services”. (para 6.61)