Annual Review 2009 - Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals

Research
Aside from being the largest provider of acute patient services in the Midlands, Sandwell and
West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust also has a substantial research portfolio and hosts several
academic departments. The most notable of these are:
Cancer - We are collaborating in or running many trials, including an epidemiological study of
oesophageal cancer, several trials of drugs for bladder cancer, bowel cancer, breast cancer, and
leukaemia, and studies of the role of iron in bowel cancer. The Regional Gynaecological Cancer
Service at City Hospital is very active in research towards better treatments of women’s cancers and
is a major contributor to important clinical trials.
Cardiovascular disease - The Cardiology Department has made a huge contribution to research over
the years. The focus on heart failure, heart rhythm disturbance (notably atrial fibrillation) and high
blood pressure has led to a series of projects funded by the NHS Research Programme, the British
Heart Foundation, and others, in which the Trust plays a pivotal role.
Diagnostic approaches - The Biochemistry Department has pioneered major advances in techniques
for identifying patients at risk from treatment with the drug azathioprine, and we now test many
hundreds of patients throughout the NHS in England.
Drug treatment and other therapies - The Department of Neurology at City Hospital is collaborating
with the University of Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit in running the largest ever programme of
clinical trials studying the cost-effectiveness of treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Reviews of the
adverse effects of drugs, and of toxicology at City Hospital, include the monitoring of adverse effects
of blood pressure treatments, and work for the Health Protection Agency on poisons.
Gynaecological Oncology - The department is currently undertaking a number of scientific projects
and is involved in a research collaboration with the West Midlands cancer intelligence unit,
investigating the incidence of gynaecological cancer to help identify inequalities of health care to
target interventions to ‘at risk’ populations.
Inflammatory disease - The Department of Rheumatology is at the forefront of research into
the causes and treatment of the crippling diseases rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus
erythematosus (‘lupus’). It has also contributed to fundamental research into the causes of
inflammation in arthritis, and has been awarded the title of LUPUS UK Centre of Excellence.
Ophthalmology - The Academic Unit at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre has made
substantial contributions to the understanding and treatment of inflammatory diseases affecting
the eye. Its research is focused on different aspects of ‘Inflammatory Mechanisms in the Ocular
Environment.’
Education
We have long been a provider of both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Our
hospitals are part of the University of Birmingham Medical School Teaching Programme and are
responsible for training three hundred medical students. Many of the medical students trained here
return for further training as junior doctors.
Postgraduate education has an excellent reputation in the provision of training for junior doctors.
Training is provided for both foundation programmes and specialty training across a wide range of
specialities. Over 350 doctors per year are trained in the Trust.
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