Jen Peach, Knowledge Team Manager,
I have more than 10 years of experience working in clinical trials within an NHS acute trust. Before joining the EDGE team in 2017, I worked across several areas of clinical research, including Clinical Trials Pharmacy, Cancer Research and Research and Development (R&D).
Having used EDGE myself throughout my time in the NHS, I understand first-hand the challenges faced by clinical research teams and the importance of having the right tools to support their work.
My career in clinical research
I spent approximately seven years working in Clinical Trials Pharmacy, taking on a variety of roles, including Senior Assistant Technical Officer, QA Lead and Team Manager.
My responsibilities covered a wide range of clinical trial activities, from managing Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) and maintaining pharmacy trial files to overseeing accountability records, temperature monitoring and the ordering and destruction of trial medication.
I also worked closely with sponsors, Contract Research Organisations (CROs), R&D teams, Principal Investigators (PIs) and Chief Investigators (CIs). This included reviewing the pharmacy sections of Clinical Trials Agreements, supporting trial finances, responding to data queries and attending site initiation and monitoring visits, both in person and remotely.
This experience gave me a thorough understanding of the operational and administrative demands involved in delivering clinical trials, as well as the importance of accurate records, effective communication and well-managed processes.
I then spent six months working as a Clinical Trials Assistant with cancer research nurses for the Central South Coast Cancer Research Network. In this role, I supported patient recruitment and visits, completed paper and electronic Case Report Forms (CRFs and eCRFs), maintained study site files and source data, and responded to sponsor and CRO queries.
My next move took me into R&D, where I spent approximately three years working as a Clinical Trials Facilitator. Here, I supported CIs, PIs and students throughout the research lifecycle, from the initial concept through to study closure.
I organised feasibility meetings involving sponsors, investigators, research nurses, clinical trials assistants and support departments. I also reviewed Clinical Trials Agreements, worked with sponsors and CROs, and collaborated with support departments to ensure study costs were accurate and accounted for.
This work took place during the early development of the costing processes that would eventually evolve into what is now the Interactive Costing Tool (ICT) developed by colleague Stevie Barre and EDGE Community Champion Mat Davis.
Joining the EDGE team
My connection with EDGE began while I was working in the NHS.
When I first joined the trust, we were using the original version of EDGE, with separate instances for cancer and non-cancer research. I later moved onto EDGE 2 when it launched, continuing to use the system until I left the trust in 2017 to join the EDGE team.
During my time in the NHS, I moved between departments, giving me experience of how different research teams used EDGE to support their work.
Since joining the EDGE team, I have seen the system develop considerably. What began as a tool I used in my own day-to-day role has evolved into a much more comprehensive system that supports research teams with managing their trial portfolios, participants and finances.
Having experienced this development both as a user and as a member of the EDGE team, I have a unique perspective on how the system has grown to meet the changing needs of clinical research.
Understanding the challenges users face
Working in the NHS research environment gave me first-hand experience of the pressures that clinical research professionals manage every day.
From staff and time constraints to funding pressures, tight deadlines and increasing demands from sponsors, I understand that research teams have to balance a wide range of responsibilities while ensuring studies are delivered effectively and in line with requirements.
I know that the systems they use need to support their work, make processes more manageable and help them use their time effectively.
Having worked across pharmacy, cancer research and R&D, I also recognise that different teams have different priorities and requirements. Understanding these perspectives is essential when developing and improving a system designed to support the wider research community.
We understand the users, because we used to be them
For me, having experience of working within the NHS is an important part of what I bring to the EDGE team.
Having been an EDGE user myself, I understand the practical realities of working in clinical research and the difference that the right tools can make to busy teams.
My experience helps me appreciate not only what users need from the system, but also the challenges they face in their roles and the pressures under which they work.
As EDGE continues to develop, I believe this understanding remains invaluable. By drawing on our own experiences as former NHS research professionals, we can continue to improve the system with the needs of its users in mind.
After all, we understand the users because we used to be them.