Birmingham Health Partners (BHP) will be holding their annual Research Showcase on Friday 18 May 2018 featuring interactive displays about local innovations and health research that is delivering fantastic benefits to patients.

Exciting developments in the last year include the opening of a dedicated medical devices testing centre which is speeding up the application of new technology into use in health care, improved knowledge about rare diseases and cancer through looking at our genes and advances in areas such as audiology and cardiology.

The showcase forms part of the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) ‘I Am Research’ campaign which marks International Clinical Trials Day, and aims to encourage patients and the public to ask about the opportunities for them to make a difference by taking part in clinical research.

Delivered on behalf of BHP; a strategic alliance between the University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust – this year’s event will also mark 70 years of the NHS with many exhibits demonstrating seven decades of innovation and development in many medical disciplines.

All outpatients can express their interest in clinical research to their consultant or clinical teams, indeed thousands of patients in 2017 participated in hundreds of studies across BHP hospitals, boosting the West Midlands to become the second-placed region in the UK for patient involvement.

Joanna Gray, Clinical Manager of the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at UHB, said: “Clinical research across the country is crucial in helping to change lives, and help us all become healthier.

“The Research Showcase is always a brilliant opportunity to share what is often behind-the-scenes work with the public in an engaging, fun and accessible way.

“It is always important to let patients, visitors and our colleagues across the site see what we do, and let them know how they can get involved to help clinical research move forward to change lives for the better.

“Visitors are often fascinated by just the small proportion we can exhibit at the showcase from the hundreds of trials and studies we undertake across the newly rebranded BHP.”

This year’s Research Showcase will again see scores of intriguing and interactive exhibits and will be open to the public, patients and staff – with lots of opportunities to get involved.

• Find out how we collaborate across the region to uncover how our genes influence rare diseases and cancer
• Put your finger on the pulse of the latest innovations in medical and sensory devices
• See the latest developments in treating scarring, strokes, traumatic brain injuries and hearing loss
• Understand the timeline of advances in arthritis care since 1948
• Discover the gut’s microbiome and its importance to your health
• View cutting edge surgery and how we’re applying the latest techniques and discoveries to change and save lives

For more information on the Research Showcase 2018, please email the showcase address.

Email: Showcase@uhb.nhs.uk