Two-million-pound investment to boost research at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust | News

Patients that are recruited to clinical studies are set to benefit from increased access to cutting-edge clinical research. The funds are made up of £1.5 million capital award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and other partners including the MY Hospitals Charity and Wakefield Oncology Leukemia Fund (WOLF) have contributed £496,500 of funding to the project.

The main bulk of the funding, awarded through the NIHR Capital Investment Programme 2025, will support the development of a new modular clinical research facility at Pinderfields Hospital. The expansion will enhance the Trust’s existing Clinical Research and Innovation Building (CRIB), creating modern, purpose-built space to deliver a wider range of studies, including complex and commercial trials, a further milestone in the hospital's development as a teaching Trust.

This investment forms part of a wider £47.8 million national programme designed to strengthen the NHS’s ability to deliver high-quality research and accelerate access to innovative treatments. Backed by the Government and the pharmaceutical industry, the initiative aims to boost the UK’s life sciences sector while ensuring more patients can take part in research closer to home.

At Mid Yorkshire, the new facility will significantly increase research capacity, enabling more people to access and participate in research and clinical studies. It will particularly support communities who have historically had limited access to research opportunities, helping to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes.

The expanded space will allow the Trust to grow its portfolio in key priority areas such as respiratory disease, cardiovascular conditions and long-term illness. It will also support faster study set-up and improve the overall experience for patients taking part in research.

The development strengthens the Trust’s role within the NIHR Bradford and West Yorkshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre and builds on existing partnerships with organisations including the University of Leeds and the Wakefield Research Hub.

Construction and fit out are expected to take place over the next two years, with the new facility due to open to patients in spring 2028.

This major investment marks a significant step forward in embedding research into everyday care at Mid Yorkshire, ensuring patients can benefit from the latest advances in healthcare without needing to travel further afield.