NHS England said it will cut delays for clinical trials and commercial contract research to enable quicker patient access and create “a more attractive research environment.”

The initiative will introduce greater certainty and reduced administrative costs for National Health Service providers and commercial sponsors, to address current uncertainties and delays in site set up that sponsors currently face.

“Patients will benefit from quicker access to trials and the NHS will become a more attractive place to undertake research,” said Sam Roberts, NHS England’s director for innovation and life sciences.

Roberts said NHS England will reimburse excess treatment costs of non-commercial research by streamlining reimbursement processes to a “consistent process across England with a single point of access.”