Joint Research Office expanded to include Oxford Health and Brookes University representatives
The Oxford Joint Research Office, (JRO) an exciting collaborative project which pulls together knowledge and delivery of clinical research in the Oxford area, has been expanded, the NHS confirmed.
Originally established in 2011, the JRO is charged with improving communication and streamlining processes and shared expertise between Oxford University and Oxford University Hospitals.
The newly enlarged team sees representatives from Oxford Health (OH) NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford Brookes University (OBU), joining the clinical research support teams from the University of Oxford (OU) and Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust.
The Oxford JRO now includes both of Oxford's NHS Foundation Trusts and both of its universities.
The development of the Oxford JRO has been supported at the highest level in each organisation and by the Board of the Oxford Academic Health Partners, of which all four institutions are members.
The JRO featured in a recent Academy of Medical Sciences report which concluded that streamlining research through joint R&D offices was one of the key ways to enhance the interface between academia and the NHS to improve the health and wealth of the UK.
The JRO played an important role in enabling Oxford researchers to develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine or identify treatments for COVID-19 in the RECOVERY Trial.
The research support teams from all four partner organisations will continue to operate autonomously, but they will work together to identify how they can align processes and activities.