Count Me In

Participation in Research at Oxford Health

Oxford Heath is a research active NHS Trust exploring and treating a broad range of mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and dementia. Patient care is improved through the development and discovery of new treatments and interventions for those facing ill health.

New treatments are being researched and developed across the Trust in collaboration with academics and healthcare workers. Oxford Health supports up to 100 studies at any one time, ranging from small student projects and psychological interventions to highly complex clinical trials investigating new medicines.

Our research is informed by our patients, their carer’s and our clinical colleagues, and is conducted to the highest scientific and ethical standards.

Research success is only possible thanks to people’s participation in studies. Taking part in research (research participation) can involve different activities, such as completing questionnaires, talking to researchers about your experience as a patient or carer, trying out new medications or testing new treatments (interventions).

What is Count Me In?

Watch a short animation video explaining how Count Me In works for our service users.

What is Count Me In?

What does Count Me In mean for patients?

We may contact you about research that you could take part in, if you are currently using an eligible Oxford Health service, or  have done in the past. This is to ensure that everyone who has used our services hears about relevant research opportunities.

We will contact you directly by email, letter, phone call or text to ask whether you would like to participate in relevant research unless you ask us not to.

If you are contacted about a research study, you do not have to take part. Participation is voluntary. You can decide whether to find out more information or not.

We will not share patient information outside of Oxford Health as part of Count Me In without your explicit consent.

How is Count Me In different to other approaches?

In the past, we have relied on healthcare workers such as doctors and nurses to approach people individually to discuss research participation opportunities. Using this approach, many patients do not get the opportunity to hear about research they may be eligible to participate in. Count Me In allows Oxford Health research staff, working on approved research studies to identify and contact people directly, to share information about research activities – unless they have opted out. This approach aims to offer everyone the opportunity to hear about research, and to decide for themselves whether or not to hear more, or take part.

How will Count Me In improve research at Oxford Health

• More patients will be informed about research opportunities
• More people will take part in research
• More diversity of research participants more accurately reflecting the general population
• Identify the most suitable people for any specific research project quickly
• Reduce the time it takes to recruit participants into research studies
• Improve direct engagement with more people to influence decisions about what areas to research
• Enable feedback direct from patients
• More people will receive better health and social care treatments

How to Opt out

If you do not want to be contacted about research opportunities, you can tell us:

• Inform a Member of your Oxford Health care team
• Phone: 01865 902 135 to speak to our team or leave a message
• Email: CountMeIn@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

If you have previously informed us that you do not wish to hear about research, your preference will continue to be recorded. If you wish to update us, or if you change your mind at any time, you can use the above contact details to let us know. Your preference will be updated on our systems within 30 days.

Current research opportunities:

You can find a list of current research studies on our websites:

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF)

For queries about Count Me In please email: CountMeIn@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

National Data Opt Out

If you have decided to opt out of being contacted about research nationally but would like to opt in to being contacted about local research at Oxford Health, please contact:

• Phone: 01865  902 135
• Email: CountMeIn@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

This will not impact your national opt out preference.