Central office provides overarching support and coordination of multicentre clinical research activities to both academic and industry initiated clinical trials involving pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals or clinical care pathways as well as clinical investigation of medical devices. HRB NCTO have developed a range of services and activities to help address the unmet needs in clinical research in Ireland at present.

HRB NCTO is an integrated national clinical research network of Clinical Research Facilities/Centres (CRF/Cs), associated hospitals and Investigators located throughout Ireland. The partner CRF/Cs provide the infrastructure, physical space and facilities, experienced research and specialist support staff and the necessary quality and oversight programmes that are critical for the successful conduct of world-class patient-focused research.

HRB NCTO work with and support a number of Clinical Trial Networks. Clinical Trial Networks are groups of clinicians and scientists from across Ireland who have come together around a particular disease, or clinical interest. Investigators agree on research activities that are best conducted as a large group nationally rather than in isolation. There are many established Clinical Trial Networks across multiple disease areas and specialties.

HRB-TMRN is a collaborative between Irish and international higher education institutes and methodology centres. Its mission is to strengthen the methodology and reporting of trials in health and social care in Ireland so that they become more relevant, accessible and influential for patients and other service users, practitioners, policy makers and the public. HRB-TMRN provide training, education, online support services as well as involvement in primary trial methodology research.