The State of Clinical Trial Outsourcing in the UK: Optimizing Site Selection, Resources, and Performance

Hear leading UK clinical operations experts tackle today’s most critical challenges in clinical trial outsourcing, CRO selection, and site optimization—insight essential for any trial leader planning or delivering studies across the UK and global markets.

SpeakersModerator: Sverre BengtssonFiona Shields, Head of UK Clinical Operations, NovartisDivya Chadha Manek, Director of Clinical Operations, EyeBioSuki Balendra , Director of Strategic Partnerships, Paddington Life SciencesLucy Clossick Thomson , Head of Clinical Operations, Purespring TherapeuticsSarah Dealey, Director of Country & Site Operations, BiogenJanette Rawlinson , Patient Advocate and Research Partner, Various national/international patient organizations

Episode OverviewThis episode features a candid panel discussion recorded live at COG UK. Senior clinical operations leaders from industry, biotech, NHS, and patient advocacy discuss the evolving landscape of clinical research in the UK, with direct implications for clinical trial outsourcing, CRO selection, and study delivery optimization.

The panel explores why, despite a growing number of clinical trials, recruitment rates are falling and UK sites are receiving lower enrollment allocations. Experts dissect how conservative site targets, performance metrics, and resource constraints are impacting site selection decisions and sponsor strategies - a topic critical for clinical operations, outsourcing, and vendor management professionals handling global studies.

Key areas include how to build more resilient and accountable sponsor–site partnerships, approaches to decentralizing trial delivery, tailoring CRO selection and outsourcing models to increase reliability, and deploying operational best practices that enable faster site activation, improved patient recruitment, and consistent protocol delivery. Patient advocacy and the unique role of NHS/industry collaboration also feature prominently, offering perspectives on how to bridge structural gaps and better utilize the UK’s world-class data sets and patient diversity for clinical study optimization.

Key Moments00:02 – UK clinical trial landscape: why are trial numbers up while patient recruitment falls?00:04 – How conservative site targets and accountability metrics created a downward cycle in UK site enrollment00:06 – Industry and NHS perspectives: site reliability, consistency, and the barriers to delivering clinical trial outsourcing at scale00:09 – Site activation delays, site resourcing c