Site in focus: Kingston Hospital

Aggie Zielonka joined UPSTREAM nearly a year after it opened in Kingston Hospital. 

"Working as a Flexible Research Practitioner within the CRN: South London means that I am placed at sites across South London to assist primarily with trial recruitment. As such, I commenced work on UPSTREAM at Kingston Hospital in September 2015. I am fortunate to be working with an immensely enthusiastic PI who is proactive in identifying and referring potential patients for the study. 

Joining the site almost one year after the study had opened to recruitment was quite a challenge, yet I was very ably guided by the study team. Amanda, Kwame, and Sally are always receptive to requests for assistance from me, however trivial they may be, which ensures that the study continues to run according to GCP guidelines and that, as a result, the wellbeing of the patient remains paramount. 

As has been mentioned by previous sites, I have found that communication between site staff, the study team, and patients is key to ensuring that recruitment to UPSTREAM continues successfully. Feedback from patients helps to guide planning of future visits, feedback from the study team helps us to identify methods in which recruitment can be improved, and feedback from site staff allows for the smooth progress of patients through what are often busy outpatient clinics."