FAQs
Taking Part in Research projects
If I express an interest in a project, does that commit me to taking part?
If I agree to take part in a study, but then change my mind, am I allowed to do that?
Yes. You can change your mind and withdraw from the study at any time. This will not affect your care in any way.
Will I get paid for taking part?
In most cases, no. We can reimburse you for any travel expenses and provide refreshments for you when on site.
Will my GP be informed I am taking part in a study?
Will you help with transport to appointments?
Yes – for most of our studies we can order you a taxi to and from your appointments. Your study co-ordinator will discuss this with you.
I'm worried I won't understand fully what I am being asked to do.
We will make sure that you have enough time to read all the information given to you and speak to us about any questions / concerns you have about the study. Our staff are all really experienced in research and will make sure that you do understand everything before you agree to the study. They will never pressure you – if you need more time to think about it or discuss with friends and family then that is fine. we are also happy to answer questions from your friends or relatives directly, with your permission.
Who will look after me when I am on the trial?
You will nearly always see the same member of staff each time you visit us, and get to know them well. We have 3 study co-ordinators, who each lead of different studies. Your study co-ordinator will be in charge of your care, with one of the others filling in in case of sickness or annual leave. However, we try to schedule appointments so that you do see the same person each time. We currently have 2 research doctors working in the department, and you will usually see the same one each time.
Will I benefit from taking part?
This is always a hard question to answer! You will receive excellent medical care by a specialist team, with continuity of care throughout the trial. For many patients, this is the reason they come back for another trial when their first one ends. If a trial involves extra imaging tests, we may learn more information about your heart which could be useful deciding your care. For a study looking at a new medication, the new medication could help with your symptoms and improve your quality of life. However, these studies are mainly matched with a placebo or dummy tablet and we will not know if you are taking the medicine or not. Many people to take part are happy to do so without expecting benefit themselves, but knowing that by doing so they are helping others in the future.
Other ways of supporting heart research
I want to help but do not have heart disease!
You can support us in many ways – you could hold a fundraising event to raise money for us, or make a donation. We do not spend funds on marketing – it all goes directly into our research.
How else could I help?
Anything that raises awareness of our work helps us. If you are active on social media, you could promote our work there. Some companies support local charities so you could ask if they would be interested.
Givey charges me a fee to donate - is this correct?
We chose Givey as we only raise a small amount through fundraising each year, and they do not charge the charity a fee. They pass on all the donations to us, but the person donating does pay a small fee to them to process. We can accept donations through PayPal or a bank transfer if you prefer.
What about Gift Aid?
We would like to Gift Aid your donation and receive extra funds from the government. The gift aid form can be found here: Gift Aid Declaration form.
I do not want to take part in a project but would like to make a donation. How do I do this?
Please visit our Donate page where you can find details of a variety of ways to make a donation to the charity.
I couldn't find the answer to my question here!
Please feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We will get back to you as soon as possible, most likely within a few hours. Our contact details are be found here.