The costs, and therefore the funding of research is divided into three different types. These are:

• Research costs
• NHS support costs
• Treatment costs

Guidance about how these costs are defined is found in several department of health documents. These are can be found on the Department of Health website.

NHS support costs are predominantly provided by the clinical research networks, with the biggest proportion flowing via the Comprehensive Local Research Networks. Trusts within Pan Birmingham Cancer Research Network are all covered by Birmingham and the Black Country Comprehensive Local Research Network (BBC CLRN).

The Pan Birmingham Cancer Research Network team works very closely with team in the BBC CLRN to ensure that trusts receive appropriate funding for research service support.

Treatments costs for patients participating in clinical trials are paid for through normal commissioning arrangements. The DH provides advice in key documents which can be found on their website.

Where patient care is provided that is either an experimental treatment or a service in a different location from where it would normally be given and it differs from the normal, standard treatment for that condition, the difference between the total treatment costs and the costs of the standard treatment (if any) is called excess treatment costs (ETCs).

Pan Birmingham Cancer Research Network has agreement with the Pan Birmingham Cancer Network Commissioning Group that they consider applications for excess treatments costs for studies opening in Pan Birmingham trusts. Applications should be made through the PBCRN manager. A copy of the application form can be found below, which must be submitted along with an excel costing template which is available from Gina Dutton.
Please note that the Commissioning Group meets alternate months and applications cannot be considered outside of the meeting schedule.

On occasion, the use of a NICE approved drug within a clinical trial may not exactly match the wording of guidance agreed use, or NICE may issue guidance after the trial has commenced which may compromise the completion of the trial. Pan Birmingham Cancer Research Network in collaboration with the PBCN commissioning group has issued guidance, which can be found below, along with an application form.