A West Midlands Ambulance research team has won a prestigious industry award for a study looking at the use of ketamine as a pain killer.

The research team, partnering with the University of Warwick, bagged the top award at the Clinical Research Network Awards in Wolverhampton.

The research team won the Innovation of the Year category for the work done on the PACKMaN (Paramedic Analgesia Comparing Ketamine and MorphiNe in trauma) study that explores the effectiveness of ketamine versus morphine for pre-hospital patients experiencing traumatic pain.

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The award was given in recognition of the modifications made to training, data gathering, and informed consent processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In place of the conventional paper forms, the team innovatively used electronic consent forms and provided completely remote consultations through Microsoft Teams.

West Midlands Ambulance Service research manager, Imogen Gunson, said: "It’s fantastic to be recognised by the Clinical Research Network for the work we do to improve evidence-based care of our patients.

"These practices have extended into other studies taking up electronic documentation, simplifying and speeding up the collection and storage processes.

"Thank you to all staff who supported the stages from logistics to operations, we really couldn’t do our research work without them."

In affirmation of these developments, Dr Hannah Noordali, clinical trial manager from the University of Warwick said: "It has been a great pleasure to work alongside the ambulance service on a trial which has been able to implement remote consenting so effectively.

"We are grateful to the CRN West Midlands for recognising how this work will advance the way in which consent can be obtained for further studies.

"Thank you to everyone who has played an integral role in the PACKMaN trial."

More can be read about the PACKMaN study and other research projects by WMAS here.