The UK's Primary Care Commercial Research Delivery Centre
PCRA is the open door to general practice for companies that need primary care evidence. We give pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, medtech businesses, and regulatory affairs teams fast, reliable access to nearly 180 research-active GP practices — covering six million patients across the UK.
Why choose us?
GPs can be hard to access commercially. We exist to change that. Our practices are not passive participants — they actively want to engage with companies developing new products and treatments. They are trained, motivated, and equipped. And because we handle centralised contracting, project management, and governance, working with us feels nothing like trying to engage NHS practices on your own.
We work with smaller pharmaceutical companies, independent CROs, medical device manufacturers, medtech businesses, and the regulatory and clinical affairs teams within them. We are probably not the right partner for the very largest global trials — but for everyone who needs rigorous, real-world, NHS primary care evidence, we are.
Our commitment to you
We are honest and straightforward. We keep communication open throughout, and we do what we say we will do.
Discover our network
We started with 12 practices. We now have nearly 180 — including GP practices, community trusts, hospices, and regional networks. Some of our practices serve patient populations of over two million. Our network includes practices with specialist clinicians in wound care, respiratory medicine, cardiovascular disease, dermatology, and more.
Beyond the practices, we operate mobile nursing teams that can conduct home visits and blood draws for clinical trials nationwide, and mobile vans for community vaccination programmes. We also link with clinical research facilities to support hybrid delivery models, and offer patient pre-screening services for large national studies.
All participating trial staff hold GCP, GDPR, and IATA certification. Equipment is sourced and rented on a per-study basis — meaning no site is ever excluded due to infrastructure.
Key Features
Nearly 180 research-active GP practices, community trusts, and hospices
Six million patients across diverse demographics and geographies
Equipment rented per study — kit is never a barrier
Mobile nursing teams for at-home study delivery nationwide
Mobile vans for community vaccination and outreach programmes
Patient pre-screening service for large national studies
Specialist GP and nurse practitioners available as principal investigators
Paperless, digitally active sites across the network
Backup sites built into every study for resilience
Centralised contracting, finance, and project management
What our clients say
“I first worked with the business as a Sponsor needing a rapid rescue after a failed trial start up abroad. It was a complex community based clinical trial, and the contracting and set up was so straightforward - with the potential PI being on every call. The 'can-do' cheerful ethos, the honesty and transparency throughout, and the fact they do exactly what they say they will do – makes them special in this industry. I will be coming back to them time and again.”
“A refreshing company to deal with. I am amazed how quickly they could start our study, and it was so professionally run. From first discussion to first patient in was less than 8 weeks.”
“I have spent my entire career working in the industry and would highly recommend them.”
“All the enthusiastic, cheerful team are a pleasure to deal with and nothing is too much trouble. The passion for the work shines through.”
Ready to start your study?
Contact us to discuss how we can support your clinical research needs.
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