Patients admitted to more research‐active hospitals have more confidence in staff and are better informed about their condition and medication: Results from a retrospective cross‐sectional study

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Clinical research activity in hospitals is associated with reduced mortality and improved overall care quality. In England, the latter is a compound score of several elements and both staff and inpatient feedback form part of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings. The objective of this study was to determine if NHS Trusts' National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) study activity data correlates with specific outcomes from national NHS staff and patient surveys. METHOD: Retrospective cohort design involving data for 129 English NHS hospital Trusts, including scores from recent national NHS staff and inpatient surveys and NIHR data. Statistical approach involved Spearman correlation analyses, with cut-off P value