The National Institute for Health Research Primary Care Research Network (NIHR PCRN) is funded by the Department of Health and is dedicated to expanding clinical research in primary care where the majority of patient contacts take place.

It brings together a wide range of primary care health professionals and promotes high quality research in areas for which primary care has particular responsibility. These include disease prevention, health promotion, screening and early diagnosis, as well as the management of long term conditions, such as arthritis and heart disease.

PCRN supports research that is driven by the priorities of the NHS and the Department of Health, and informed by the views of patients and their carers. It works closely with research networks in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to promote and deliver high quality clinical research across the whole of the UK. 

PCRN was set up in 2007 to expand clinical research in primary care, where the majority of patient contacts and episodes of NHS care take place.

It is made up of eight Local Research Networks (LRNs) which cover the whole of England and bring together a wide range of primary care health professionals such as GPs, dentists, pharmacists and health visitors with the aim of promoting high quality research in areas for which primary care has particular responsibility. These areas include disease prevention, health promotion, screening and early diagnosis, as well as the management of long term conditions, such as arthritis and heart disease.

The locally based Research Networks coordinate and facilitate the conduct of clinical research and provide a wide range of support to their local research community. Typically, Local Research Network members include a Network Manager and research staff from nursing and other health professions, or life sciences backgrounds, data managers and support staff. They work with GP practices, health centres, dental practices and in other community locations to facilitate the involvement of staff and patients in clinical studies.

PCRN Roles and Responsibilities
PCRN defines its role as:

• PCRN is a core component of the NIHR Clinical Research Network.
• Its function is to facilitate the timely, appropriate and effective recruitment and follow-up of patients in primary care settings.
• Its mission is to help to ensure the highest level of performance for all studies on the NIHR CRN portfolio involving recruitment and/or follow-up of patients in primary care settings.
• Its scope spans the entire range of clinical research areas.
• Its focus is on those aspects of clinical care where primary care has a particular role, including primary prevention, screening and early detection of illness, diagnosis and management of common diseases, and care of people with long-term conditions.
• Its teams have an established knowledge base of local practices willing and able to take part in studies, and how to engage with them in order to promote effective recruitment and follow up of patients in primary care settings.

• To develop in-depth knowledge of local GP practices & other primary care professionals
• To facilitate & co-ordinate access to training and accreditation for research for GPs etc
• To undertake feasibility testing for potential studies
• To help as appropriate with identifying suitable patients for NIHR CRN studies
• To provide where possible support with co-ordination of assessment and follow-up of trial participants
• To work with all networks to optimise primary care involvement in NIHR CRN studies.