Building clinical trials readiness in primary and community care: a scoping review

Background There is much untapped potential for large-scale, community-based clinical trials in primary and community care; realising that potential is an important endeavour. Aim To understand what steps lead to readiness for clinical trial delivery in routine practice in primary and community care. Design & setting Scoping review of sources involving UK primary and community care settings and written in English. Method Three databases (Medline All, Embase and Web of Science Core Collection), grey literature and reference lists of relevant sources were searched for all types of literature available in English on the readiness of primary and community care within the UK to conduct clinical trials research. These sources underwent screening which was conducted according to relevance as judged by two independent researchers. Thematic analysis was then undertaken. Results Thirteen sources met the inclusion criteria. These sources covered a variety of primary and community care settings including general medical practice, general dental practice and care homes. Themes identified for clinical trial readiness were: a supportive research culture, strong leadership, adequate infrastructure and targeted training, all underpinned by streamlined governance processes and appropriate incentives. Conclusion This scoping review highlights that the readiness of primary and community care as a clinical research setting is shaped by a complex interplay of organisational, cultural, and structural factors. To realise the full potential, sustained investment and policy attention is needed to embed these elements into routine practice across diverse care environments.