Hiya, my name is Murray, I am 36 years old & from Scotland.

I enjoy sport, cars, cinema and eating out in restaurants – all the great things in life that don’t come for free. I registered with Quotient after searching clinical trials online - many of my friends have done them before and it seemed like great money for a week away from the everyday grind, plus I will be helping better the lives of others.

Although Quotient is by far my favourite clinic, I must admit I have done trials in Edinburgh (the drive is so much closer for me!) Dundee & Leeds.

Quotient has great onsite free parking, 6 roomy lounges and a menu to choose your homecooked meals from - not all units can brag about that. They also have a great laundry service for those volunteers on a longer study, which was much needed on the 41 nigher that I have just completed. All our laundry was taken individually, washed, and dried before being delivered back to our beds the very next day (I don’t even get that back home). I know this is not available for shorter studies, but when you are there for a longer time, it really makes a difference.

I do enjoy the trials and love meeting new people whilst catching up with old friends too.
Another bonus is helping to develop new medicine for the future - this is a huge thing for me and I’m so proud to be a part of this positive movement of change.

I intend to spend the inconvenience allowance on a holidays, since we have been unable to get away for a few years I am really looking forward to having a wonderful long trip. 

The food at Qutoient is decent, with the evening meals being my favourite. You never go hungry with the portions being more than enough and I have always gone to bed feeling full.

 If you ever have any concerns or feedback, it is dealt with quickly as they have a Volunteer Liaison Officer whose role is to ensure the volunteers have the best experiences; she does an amazing job by keeping us all entertained and deals with our feedback promptly and efficiently. We play fun games such as bingo, quizzes and killer pool if it fits in with our dosing and procedures  – this is particular the favourite of mine and it really does feel like Quotient have got it all covered.

Recently, I have recommended a few of my friends to take part in clinical trials with Quotient and it’s always nice to receive a little extra payment for the Recommend a friend scheme. There’s no limit to the number of people you can refer and when I meet new people it’s one of the first things I talk about.

I have made some wonderful friends, old and new, and have stayed in contact with many of them. Sometimes we end up on the same study, so it’s always nice to see a familiar face and catch up like no time has passed. I am so proud of the work I do with Quotient; it honestly feels like a community of friends.

If reading this makes you want to find out more – please visit www.weneedyou.co.uk I may even  see you at killer pool next time round!

Taking early retirement as my hubby had finished work, I wanted to have a little of " my own money ". I am sure you know what I mean ladies - hubby would give me his last penny, but as daft as it sounds, I wanted to say his birthday gift was to be from me!

I was a little worried, I must confess, about attending during Covid times but there was no need to be at all. As usual, Quotient have your health and safety at the forefront as always.
I had done a trial previously and my very first trial was one developing a potential new medicine for breast cancer. With my mum and sister both having had this, it meant a lot to me knowing you have helped, if even in a small way. But as life gets in the way – Quotient appeared less on my to do list! Then a page popped up on my Facebook from Quotient, one click, I had a look at the current trials available, it was as simple as that.

Although things had changed since I’d been in the unit pre Covid, I felt 100% safe and well looked after, there was no safer place to be. Now with things changing, bingo is back – the quiz events are something we can look forward to with prizes! Oh I am so glad I did it.

I completed a trial towards the end of 2021. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the company of other ladies (and gents too) in a friendly safe environment with my expectations blown away – it was the break I wanted and didn’t even know I needed.
I really enjoyed my stay. All the staff were honestly fabulous, not just the amazing doctors and nurses, but the friendly cleaners and support staff in other departments. Not forgetting the brilliant catering staff who provided some delicious meals - always tastes better when someone else makes something for you - and no dishes to wash! The puddings were such a treat and very yummy.
So, if you are thinking of doing a trial for the 1st time, go for it – it’s a first that you won’t regret. I am looking forward to applying in 2022, no more staying indoors for me – happy to get my life back on track and enjoy the benefits that being a volunteer at Quotient gives me.

Hiya, I am a 63-year-old mother and Grandmother and a medical pioneer.

I worked for the NHS for many years and took early retirement to help look after my Grandchildren, as I think the early years with them are so precious.

I started doing trials for a different company and after several years they folded but sent me a letter with alternative companies. The nearest to me at the time was Quotient Sciences and I have never looked back. The staff are so caring and helpful they soon become friends.

I started to take part in trials, and still do, to help advance either new medicines, or alternative ways of them being administered. The other big reason for me was the payment you receive.

 I love having time to do things I enjoy whilst in the clinic, for example, watching movies, boxsets, reading books – just generally recharging my batteries and not having to cook or clean is also a huge, huge plus!

I have mainly spent the payment I receive for taking part in trials on holidays, the likes of which I would never be able to save for. I have been on multiple Cruises and international travelling with no expense spared.

I always recommend family and friends to Quotient and I am always open and honest about doing them. I have sometimes seen the look of concern on some of their faces, but always explain that they have been completely safe and enjoyable knowing you are helping better the lives of others. You are closely monitored and would pay a small fortune for the health checks you get from Quotient.

Because I’ve been taking part for over 30 years, I have met many people and it is lovely when you return and there are people you have done trials with before. Everyone is so friendly, and we do have a laugh while we are in there.  It’s funny how within 24 hours of arriving we all talk about food, jobs, kids and back to food again – discussing what we have ordered off the fantastic menu!

The food at Quotient is fantastic and really filling - most trials offer you a really good choice such as a healthy breakfast, scrummy lunch and a hearty evening meal, plus it always tastes better when you don’t have to cook or do the dishes after!

Whilst on a trial I do the things I have already mentioned, but one time when I was there, I wrote all my Christmas cards - what a great use of time, and something I hate having to do at home as it takes so long.

When I was working and doing trials, they fitted in well as you can choose which ones fit your schedule and personal life. One trial I took part in was for 10 days, it was one of the best trials I have ever done as we had a great group who all got on and I spent so much time laughing  - we now have a WhatsApp group together. I am still friends with them on Facebook after many years.

Without volunteering I wouldn’t have all the fantastic memories of traveling or have the great friendship groups I have now but more importantly, without volunteering, we wouldn’t have the advances in medicine that we have now.

If you’ve read this and you are interested in becoming a part of the volunteer community, why not apply?

I have already recommended Quotient Sciences to several people!

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 one busy 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.

Volunteers who took part in a study back in 2011 that investigated a treatment for acute skin infections have contributed to a new medication called Baxdela making it to the US market.

Baxdela offers a new option for the treatment of adult patients with severe bacterial skin and skin structure infections.

Yet again, thank you to our volunteers who continue to make a huge contribution to medicine by taking part in clinical trials with us.

Volunteering is a rewarding experience and to us our volunteers are heroes!

As a healthy volunteer, not only are you helping to make a difference to the world of medicine, but it’s a great feeling knowing that you’re helping to improve the quality of life for others. There are lots of benefits to taking part in a trial at Quotient Sciences – including a comprehensive health check as part of your enrollment on the trial and getting paid for your time. You’ll get to relax amongst a group of like-minded people and be able to enjoy being looked after in our state-of-the-art facilities with films, television and games to choose from, as well as having all of your meals prepared for you.

If you’re already one of our volunteer heroes, you could receive up to £300 just by recommending your friends or relatives to us.

If you know anyone who might be interested in taking part in our clinical trials, simply complete our short online recommend a friend form.

When your friend has successfully completed an induction with us you will receive £50 (£100 is paid upon completion of your referral's induction for post-menopausal or sterilised females and vasectomised males) AND when your friend completes their first study you’ll be able to claim an additional £150 (£200 is paid upon completion of your referral’s first trial for post-menopausal or sterilised females and vasectomised males).

It’s as simple as that! There’s no limit to the number of friends you can recommend, so start now and you could soon be taking part on studies with your mates!

Note: Volunteers must be aged 18 or over. 

The weather appears to be getting ready for spring and we’ve seen some lovely sunshine over the past few days. If you’re planning your weekend, make sure you make happy plans as Sunday is International Day of Happiness

Sometimes we need to take the time to sit back and see how we can make our lives and others around us happier. There are some great tips on how to live a happier life http://www.actionforhappiness.org/. And remember – happiness is contagious!

Things like exercise can make a massive difference to our quality of life and also make us happier. So why not take a walk in the sunshine; maybe your happy state will rub off on the people around you. You can always share what you choose to do on Sunday to make life happier on Twitter with #InternationalDayOfHappiness