Update on trials

NIVO study

Between 2016 and 2019, NUH was part of a research study called the NIVO study. This research involved patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), who needed a ventilator to help with their breathing after being admitted to hospital.

One aspect of the NIVO study has been counting the number of times that a patient is admitted or readmitted to hospital, and the reasons, in the year after they have needed treatment with a ventilator. This is very important information, as it may help us develop new ways to treat and follow-up patients with COPD after discharge from hospital. 

We are also examining mortality (death rates and cause) in the year after hospital admission. 

To ensure our research results are as accurate as possible, the NIVO study is applying to receive information from NHS Digital (and NHS Wales Informatics Service). These organisations already routinely capture information about patients that are admitted to hospital in England and Wales. They are part of the NHS and the information they can provide will help in this study.

All information will be stored on secure NHS computers and the only people with access to this will be NHS members of staff working on the NIVO study. No organisations outside the NHS will have access to this data at any point.

The NIVO study is being run by a consultant lung doctor called Professor Stephen Bourke, who works at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. In addition to Northumbria Healthcare, the NIVO study is being run at nine other NHS Trusts, including NUH.

If you have any queries or questions about this, or about how data may be used, please feel free to contact us. This can either be done through the research department at NUH, or by contacting the Respiratory Research Team at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust:

T: 0191 293 4160

E: nivo@nhs.net.