WITH 273 Borderers already registered, NHS Borders revealed it remains committed to establish a register of people interested in participating in health research in Scotland by reaching 400 by the end of March 2015.

SHARE has been established by NHS Research Scotland to allow anyone to register their interest in taking part in health research. When you register you agree to allow SHARE to use the coded data from your NHS computer records to check whether you might be suitable for health research studies. This access is incredibly useful when it comes to developing new treatments and cures for a wide variety of health conditions.

Consultant Rheumatologist Ruth Richmond explained: “People join SHARE for many reasons but all want to play their part in delivering new treatments and developing better healthcare in Scotland. “There is no question that this Scotland-wide initiative has the potential to enhance patient care and offer new treatments in the future. I think it’s really important and I would like people in Borders to get behind it and join.

“No-one can be too healthy or too unwell to sign up; the register is open to everyone. There is nothing exclusive about this which is great and if you are invited to take part in a health research study in the future then you can decide at the time if you want to take part.” It only takes a minute to join the SHARE register at www.registerforshare.org and together we can make a real difference to Scotland’s future health.

Alternatively you can sign up by completing a form available from Joy Borowska, Research Governance Co-ordinator, Clinical Governance & Quality, Borders General Hospital, Melrose, TD6 9BS, 01896 826717, research.governance@borders.scot.nhs.uk.

In support of this initiative Sheena MacDonald, Medical Director for NHS Borders said: “Opportunities to participate in research are often confined to people attending hospital clinics.

“SHARE gives people in all parts of Scotland, including those not attending hospital clinics, the opportunity to contribute to medical research, thereby increasing the pool of people available for health research projects.”