New department establishes Fife as centre of excellence.

NHS Fife has officially opened its new Research and Development Department in Dunfermline.

The facility, which is based at the Queen Margaret Hospital (QMH), establishes the  region as an important hub for local, national, and international research, and will play a key role in shaping the way that healthcare is delivered in the future. 

The department specialises in providing guidance on research design, the critical appraisal of research evidence, and the interpretation of statistics and other data relating to areas including dementia, mental health, diabetes, rheumatology, and 
oncology. It also serves as a facility to conduct clinical trials and develop researchers as they participate in postgraduate courses and other advanced qualifications.

Established at Lynebank Hospital, Dunfermline, in 2002, the department initially employed only two part-time members of staff to promote research activity throughout Fife. However, due to the increasing emphasis placed upon research driven care and medicines throughout the region, the new expanded Research and Development Department at QMH employs 17 people – 10 of whom are research nurses.

Commenting, Medical Director at NHS Fife, Dr Brian Montgomery, said:

"NHS Fife is committed to research as a way of improving patient services and I am sure this department at Queen Margaret Hospital will help further establish our reputation as a small health board that is making a big contribution to national research and development.

"Our staff have already contributed to service improvements in areas including cardiology, podiatry and stroke, and I look forward to the new department facilitating further improvements over the coming years. Moreover, our research nurses are 
engaged in various projects involving hundreds of patients who would otherwise have been unable to make a contribution to not only the research process, but improvements to healthcare provision across the region.

Here's Dr Alex Baldacchino.

"Ultimately, NHS Fife is committed to continually providing services and therapies that are based upon the best available evidence. The new Research and Development Department, combined with our forthcoming clinical research facility 
at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, will ensure that we continue to deliver a positive experience to our patients for years to come."

Scotland's Chief Scientist for Health, Professor Andrew Morris, added:

"I am delighted to be opening the new Research and Development Department. NHS Fife is a clear example of what can be achieved through strong leadership. Over the past 5 years it has significantly increased the volume of research it supports 
and it has also been a major contributor to Scottish Health Research Register. 

"Moreover, we have also recently seen its commitment to supporting commercially-sponsored research, through the appointment of a commercial manager.

"I would like to congratulate NHS Fife's R&D Department, which has been guided by the leadership and ambitions of its R&D Director, Dr Alex Baldacchino, and its R&D Manager, Dr Amanda Wood, with the strategic support from the Health Board's Primary Care Medical Director and Executive Lead for R&D, Dr Stella Clark."