Managing resources and workloads is a difficulty faced by all industries, however, with international competitiveness, the tight timelines imposed on work in the clinical trials' sector, coupled with the shortage of skilled staff, clinical trial sites often find this extremely difficult to manage.

To address this situation in Queensland, and its industry-wide flow on effects, Queensland Clinical Trials Network Inc. (QCTN) has established a staff deployment service - SOS (Staff on Site). This initiative aims to assist clinical trial sites to source, train and place an employee at the trial site on a short to medium term. SOS (Staff on Site) can supply Clinical Research Coordinators, Recruitment Officers and Data and Information Officers to assist clinical trial sites. The numerous advantages of this service include:

• For a placement fee, QCTN will source, train and place the staff at the trial centre.
• QCTN will manage the ongoing payroll for the employee and the trial site will be billed for the service on a monthly basis.
• The capacity of the site to undertake clinical trials makes the site 'attractive' to sponsor companies.

QCTN and therefore the SOS (Staff on Site) service exists to promote and facilitate:

• the undertaking of clinical trials and related services in Queensland, Australia, in an environment that stimulates clinical trial professionalism and cooperation;
• adherence to national and international ethical and regulatory standards.

QCTN is committed to assist its members in Queensland prosper and grow and has established the SOS (Staff on Site) initiative after feedback from clinical trial sites indicated the need for assistance with sourcing skilled staff. SOS (Staff on Site) is a dedicated service to ensure the Queensland Clinical Trials Industry can utilise resources which will result in exemplary quality of clinical trials within the state.