Improving quality and productivity in the NHS through research
Back pain is common and affects most people at some point in their life. In the past patients were told to rest, whereas the current advice is to keep active. But the STarT Back trial, supported by the Primary Care Research Network, is changing all that. The study is revolutionising back pain care, improving outcomes for patients, and saving the NHS money.
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Read a PCRN news item about this study
HSJ Research Culture Award primary care finalist
Bradgate Surgery was the only General Practice shortlisted in the HSJ Awards for their entry “Research Resuscitated: How one practice breathed life into the concept of primary care research". We invited Dr Jason Victory to our exhibition stand at the NHS Alliance Conference 2011 in Manchester to tell us how they did it and what it has meant for their practice and their patients.
- Watch short video of Dr Victory at the NHS Alliance Conference 2011
txt2stop
Network support pays dividends for smoking cessation study
Recent research testing a revolutionary new approach to kicking the habit is hoping to provide smokers with a different kind of support. The txt2stop study, assisted by the Primary Care Research Network, showed that sending motivational text messages to smokers could double quit rates.
Primary Care Research Network steps into the breach
Network turns around UK recruitment on Servier's global CLARIFY study
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the UK’s biggest killer and the leading cause of death worldwide. Servier, the leading French independent pharmaceutical company, recently set out to recruit 2000 patients in the UK as part of a global study to increase the knowledge and understanding of the disease. When the study looked like it wasn’t going to make its recruitment target, the Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) stepped into the breach.
Dr Jill Evans, Esher Green Surgery, Surrey
Hear GP Jill Evans describe the support she's received from the Primary Care Research Network to deliver research in her practice in the South East of England. Watch the video
Practice research nurse, Esher Green Surgery, Surrey
Sacha Jones describes how she works with the Primary Care Research Network to deliver research in a primary care setting in the South East of England.
Watch the video
Network GUIDANCE helps study to meet recruitment targets
Primary Care Research Network guides diabetes study in the right direction
The primary care recruitment programme for the GUIDANCE study in the South East Midlands was largely structured around the movements of a mobile retinopathy screening clinic. When this clinic became temporarily unavailable, close collaboration between the study team and the Clinical Research Network meant the trial remained in a strong position to recruit to time and target.
Read the full story Prescribing the Network remedy
Network support is the best prescription for a healthy study
As patients we want to feel confident that we are getting the best possible care whilst getting the treatments and medicines we need quickly and easily. The Primary Care Research Network is helping to deliver a study that may well improve prescribing services and could set a benchmark for future prescribing standards. Read the full story
ASCEND: taking recruitment to new heights
Network collaboration helps study reach major recruitment milestone on time
The Primary Care and Diabetes Research Networks help to boost recruitment to a study hoping to provide a resolution to a key question in diabetes care.
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Extending the reach of research
Collaborative diabetes study engages dentists in clinical research
When Professor Donos contacted the Clinical Research Network seeking to boost recruitment to his study he wasn’t fully aware of the potential support available. Working with both the Primary Care and the Diabetes Research Networks has increased research opportunities around this study in more ways than one. Read the full story
Let's Prevent Diabetes
Network collaboration sets study on path to success
Have you heard of pre-diabetes? The Primary Care Research Network uses its expertise to help the Diabetes Research Network to engage new practices in a study which aims to educate people who are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Read the full story
Size matters
Network support creates a step-change in mental health research
Non-drug mental health research, on a large scale, is relatively uncommon in England due to the administrative demands of setting up multi-site studies and recruiting patients at the same time. But the Collaborative Depression Trial (CADET) is proving that with support from the Mental Health Research Network and Primary Care Research Networks, such studies may now be in a position to flourish. Read the full story
