How we contact patients about research

There are many ways to get involved with research at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford Health is a research active trust. We want all of our patients to have the opportunity to benefit from taking part in research studies as part of their care.

From August 2021 we will be piloting a new way of contacting our patients about research to make it more inclusive. From this date all patients will have the right to be contacted about research unless they tell us they do not want to receive this information.

Why are we making this change?

We are making this change following a study undertaken by an interdisciplinary team at the Trust.  The showed that this approach to research contact could be beneficial to both clinical research and patient care. You can read more about the study here.

Do I have to take part in research?

No, you do not have to take part in any of the research studies we contact you about and you can change your mind about participating at any time.

What if I don’t want to hear about research opportunities as part of my care?

If you don’t want to  hear about relevant research opportunities you are free to opt-out of receiving this information. You can tell us about your decision by:

• In person: tell a member of staff involved in your care
• By telephone: 01865 902013 to leave a message
• By email: researchconsent@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
• By post: write to us at the address below including your name, address and date of birth

Research and Development,
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust,
Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane,
Oxford, OX3 7JX

You can find more information about the way we contact patients about research in our leaflet.

An easy read version of the leaflet is available here.

How long will it take to register my preference to opt-out?

We will action all opt out requests as quickly as possible and always within 30 days of receipt.

How can I share my views about the way you contact me about research?

We would love to hear about your experience of being contacted about research at Oxford Health. Please complete our short questionnaire to share your views.

How are these changes different to the national and GP data opt-out?

The planned changes to research contact at Oxford Health do not involve the sharing of patient information outside of the Trust, without explicit consent from a patient. Only authorised Oxford Health staff can access patient records, to confirm eligibility to a relevant research study, before contacting the patient, to ask if they would then like to take part.

The national data opt-out differs by providing an opportunity for patients to opt out of their data being used nationally, in systems which allow the disclosure of confidential patient information, across the health and adult social care system in England for “purposes beyond individual care”.

The patient’s preference for national data opt-out is recorded via NHS Digital. Patients who have chosen to opt out via this process will be excluded from the data used for research at Oxford Health.

The GP opt-out also relates to national pooling of data from GP surgeries in England and this will also be recorded by NHS Digital.