Expanding access to neurosurgery research across the East of England

Insight

The East of England Neurosurgery Network (EoE NN) was established in October 2023 as one of eight Neurosurgery Clinical Networks in the country. With more than 200 members drawn from a wide range of clinical settings and specialties, the EoE NN brings together a diverse community committed to improving neurosurgical care across the region.

The East of England is unique in that it has only one neurosurgery unit, based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH). As the sole provider, the unit receives referrals from the entire region, which can create particular challenges for patient flow and service capacity. It also requires some patients to travel to Cambridge because certain support is not available locally. Concentrating specialist services at Addenbrooke’s also means that nearly all neurosurgery-related research in the region is conducted at CUH, meaning that engagement with other hospitals in the region has been limited to date.

Intervention

Health Innovation East was commissioned by the EoE NN to help shape and broaden the reach of its developing regional neurosurgery research strategy. The aim was to make neurosurgery research trials more accessible to, and inclusive and representative of, the populations and hospitals across the East of England. For populations, this means research better tailored to their health needs; for hospitals it means clinicians with heightened opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills.

Our Consulting team worked closely with the Network’s Clinical Research Strategy Lead to deliver tailored support, including:

Strategic Development

• Working with the EoE Regional Research Delivery Network to ensure alignment with regional research delivery frameworks, enabling a more joined-up approach and a strong regional footprint.
• Identifying barriers to wider engagement.

Enabling Region-wide research

• Mapping clinicians and researchers across the region who are involved, or have the potential to be involved, in neurosurgery research.
• Identifying research studies suitable for expansion to new sites and supporting the EoE NN to prioritise where to focus engagement efforts.
• Designing an interactive online map to showcase network activity, highlighting engaged organisations, active study locations, and ongoing conversations across the region for the EoE NN to use in their future work.

Communicating and Engaging

• Developing clear communications to describe what constitutes neurosurgery research, highlighting the broad range of conditions and patient pathways included.
• Creating communications and engagement materials describing the role of the EoE NN in widening access to neurosurgery research and outlining opportunities for participation.
• Engaging prospective new research sites, holding exploratory meetings to assess feasibility and interest as well as any barriers and facilitators to participation in neurosurgery-related research.

Impact

By enabling more hospitals to participate, this work is:

• Opening up new professional development and research opportunities for staff by broadening the studies they can participate in.
• Building research capacity across the region, strengthening local teams’ ability to manage patients who would previously have been referred directly to Addenbrooke’s.
• Improving representation and inclusion in neurosurgery research, ensuring studies better reflect the populations served.
• Adding value to the neurosurgery research community by widening participation.
• Supporting best practice in neurosurgery, including improving local patient management via expanding research portfolios.

Of the work of the Health Innovation East team, Daniela Caputo, Clinical Research Strategy Lead, EoE NN, said:

“Our collaboration significantly advanced the project, leading to strong outcomes and valuable insights that are now informing the next steps. The team have been exceptionally supportive and professional throughout – highly knowledgeable, proactive and bringing a consistently positive approach. It felt like a genuine partnership, where diverse expertise came together effectively to achieve the best possible results within the given timeframe. I hope to collaborate with Health Innovation East again in the future.”