Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to participation in mental health clinical trials across different (a) regions and (b) demographic groups in (i) general and (ii) Lancashire.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments, including mental health clinical trials.

The Department funds research and research infrastructure across England through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including on mental health.

NIHR research infrastructure has national coverage across all National Health Service trusts in England, through 12 regions, to build research capacity and capability across all geographies and settings.

The NIHR provides an online service called 'Be Part of Research' which promotes participation in health and social care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them, including mental health clinical trials.

Through the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network (RDN), the NIHR funds the delivery of research in the North West, including for mental health trusts, and supports recruitment and screening for all eligible participants across Lancashire.

From 2026/27, the RDN will adopt a new national funding model for NHS support costs and research delivery. This will be a consistent, nationally agreed funding distribution model across all regions of England and will reduce regional variation in health research delivery investment. This aims to reduce inequity in research delivery across all therapy and geography areas, including in underserved areas and settings.