Two pieces of news this week for anyone costing commercial research in primary care — one from the national system, one from us.
NCVR pricing reviews now complete in 20 days
From 1 July 2026, the National Contract Value Review — the UK-wide standard for costing commercial research in the NHS — runs to a streamlined timetable. The lead-site study resource review, including quality assurance by a second reviewer, now completes within 20 days, with up to five further days for company review and five for finalisation. It is part of the national commitment to bring clinical trial set-up below 150 days.
For sponsors, that means pricing certainty weeks earlier than before. For practices, it means studies reach you sooner, with standardised, fair site payments — less time in limbo between expression of interest and a signed contract.
Automated NCVR pricing from your protocol — a PCRA tool, now available to sponsors
For the past few months we have been using an in-house tool that reads a study protocol and drafts an NCVR-aligned budget from it — the visit schedule, the procedures, the site resource requirements, priced to the same national methodology that underpins the interactive Costing Tool. We built it for our own study set-up work and refined it on anonymised protocols.
This week, having seen how much time it could save the companies we work with, we have rebuilt it and are making it available to sponsors. For sites you may need to anonymise your protocol or ask sponsors to use it (due to NDA) but you will get back a draft NCVR pricing schedule - something to start on whilst waiting full NCVR pricing
If you would like access, email daphne@pcralliance.uk.