Today we are celebrating a special recognition for our work on the DIDACT study. The local research team received the title of “Green Light Guru” for having the fastest “green light” approval process. This was received from York Trials Unit who are coordinating the study on behalf of the sponsor University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
The DIDACT study is a large UK research project funded by the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) looking at the best way to treat a specific type of broken collarbone (also called the clavicle) in adults. When this bone breaks near the shoulder and the pieces move out of place, doctors usually treat it in one of two ways: with surgery or by using a sling to support the arm while it heals. DIDACT aims to find out which option works best, is safer, and offers the best value for the NHS. [york.ac.uk]
Before a hospital can start recruiting patients into a study, it must receive “green light” by the sponsor. This means all checks are complete and the site is ready to take part. Achieving this quickly takes clear communication and lots of behind‑the‑scenes effort.
This success was made possible by the non‑commercial Research & Development (R&D) team, who worked closely with Principal Investigator Dr Scott Barker and the local research team. Special thanks go to Research Nurses Claire Stewart, Amanda Gould and Amy Nicol, who helped everything moving smoothly. The non-commercial R&D team also thanks the support departments: Radiology (Dr Rosalind Mitchell-Hay and Dr Ben Winter) and Radiation (Dr Stephen McCallum), who provided fast responses throughout the set‑up process.