I really can’t understate how great the staff are, the nurses, doctors, chefs, cleaning staff and the Volunteer Liaison Officer, make the experience worthwhile.

Hi, my name is Stuart and I’ve done 2 trials at Quotient over the last year.
I found out about Quotient Sciences clinical trials whilst on a bus journey in my local town, I was curious what it was all about and with the cost-of-living increase, I decided to investigate it.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, like many of my friends and family, their initial reaction was one of scepticism and concern i.e. is it safe? Like anything in life there is an element of risk, and I can’t say 100% that you won’t have any side effects, all I can say is from my own experience and that of others I have spoken to they are minimal. These medicines are obliged to go through a robust testing process before they can come to market. They can’t just be tested on the unhealthy/the people they are intended for with weak immune systems or underlying health conditions etc just in case there are side effects. It’s a long process with many different stages of testing. Of the 2 trials I have done, the first being 4 nights to see what it was about and the second of 20 nights once I knew what to expect the only side effects I have had are, a headache and a bit of stiffness in my neck/back that went away almost immediately once I was back home. Whether or not that was the test medicine or the conditions of being in a different bed surrounded by other people and watching too much TV/gaming a lot more than I usually would is hard to say.

Personally, I think lying in bed/lounging around on my laptop and phone were the main reasons. As for other people, many of whom have done lots of trials over several years, again very few side effects, the odd headache, or again achy muscle/joints from lounging around too much.

The screening process is very thorough, and everything is explained to you beforehand, so you understand what any risks might be. You can withdraw at any point, and it won’t be held against you.

So, if you’re still with me you’ll want to know what it’s like on the trial itself. What do I do? What’s expected of me? Well, I guess that can depend on the the clinical trial you participate in.

On my first trial it was a bit of a whirlwind. I checked in and they did the usual tests to see if I was fit and healthy. It is explained to you beforehand but be aware there will always be more people than they need on the trial. Usually, 2-3 reserves. For example, if they need 7 there may be 10 and the 7 will be selected on their test results. Both times I have been fine and stayed on the trial and both times there have been others who were made reserves as they were out of range. It’s not all bad news if you’re a reserve, you get paid a reserve fee and can sign up for another trial.

My first trial was hectic. At one point I think I counted 20 people (staff) in the room as there was so much going on. Each volunteer is on timed procedures. For example, on mine there were 7 people, I was in bed 5 so the first would start at 7a.m then 7:05, 7:10, 7:15 and so on. It’s very useful later in the trial if you’re later down the line because you know that when the person in bed 1 must do something like go for lunch or starts their procedures you are reminded, you’re up soon. It’s a well-oiled, efficient, and practiced process of doctors and nurses.

In hindsight, I had chosen a busy trial, and it makes sense that a short trial would be very busy, and they must fit so much into a shorter period. The trial was easy, it was mostly the onebusy day then two with set procedures but not as many. Every trial is different of course so make sure you read the information that is sent to you as it tells you everything you need to know. On the first trial I was on one of the smaller wards, there were ten of us and there is only 1 shower/toilet in the room however there are two other toilets outside the room to use and if it’s quiet/no other cohorts are on the other wards you can use the showers in them.

I like to shower twice a day, morning, and night so between 7 people I didn’t think it would work but you would be surprised, people have different patterns and habits.

I wake earlier than most and go to bed earlier, some sleep in, so 90% of the time it was available - when it wasn’t it was just a short wait. That takes me onto the other people on the trial. We are all there for the same reason, ultimately, it’s for the inconvenience allowance to help our hobbies, friends and our families.

Overall, it was a great experience, the main positive are the staff. They are amazing, good at their jobs. They are efficient, knowledgeable, and friendly.

If you need anything they will do their best and go out the way to accommodate you. The food is good, it’s a set menu but there is a lot of choice and it’s freshly prepared every day.

So, after my 4-night stay having had a good experience, I decided to return for a long one of 20 days.

I preferred the longer stay. You get into a nice routine and because it’s more stretched out there seem to be less procedures and less “busy days”. Obviously again every trial is different but from speaking to the ‘regular’ volunteers the longer ones are better and more relaxed.

Being in for longer also means you can form friendships with other people, and you find out interesting things about others and even if you don’t have things in common with everyone, if you stay open minded, you’ll still learn things about the world and yourself. On my trial there were several regulars who had been coming for years and they used the trials to go on holidays, enjoy their hobbies and support their families. For me our cohort was great. Two kept themselves to themselves but were respectful and polite. Amongst the others we formed friendships and camaraderie, sharing stories, jokes, watching films, playing games together.

There is a pool table on each section, and we had regular games against one another, and the volunteer support liaison organised a quiz, a pool tournament and even bingo! I know bingo, right? I’m a 39-year-old man who’s never played bingo before, but it was surprisingly fun! I will play again; the best thing is someone always wins, and it passes the time. Again, the staff were amazing, 20 days inside is a long time especially if you’re away from your kids /family like me. They do their best to make you comfortable and help the time pass. We went on 3 walks around the local park and being inside makes you appreciate the natural beauty and freedom even more. I am a very active person, I run, cycle, or walk over 30miles a week on average so not being able to exercise was tricky for me at first but again the staff keep you busy and the time flies!

To summarise it’s a great experience where you get to meet new people and you get paid for it.

I really can’t understate how great the staff are, the nurses, doctors, chefs, cleaning staff and the Volunteer Liaison Officer, make the experience worthwhile.

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