Research

Brunel Health Group and its member practices have a keen interest in participating in research within primary care to improve the health and care not only of our registered population across Swindon and Shrivenham, but also the wider population of the United Kingdom.

Our practices are working with and supported by the South West Central NIHR Research Delivery Network (SWC RDN) to participate in high quality research, thereby advancing knowledge and improving care. Currently engaged in 12 research studies, our aim over the next few years is to grow our research capacity both in terms of local staff and workforce but also working with partners and communities to encourage our population to be involved and benefit from new types of treatment and care.

If you would like to register interest in research here are 2 NIHR research registers, that interest members of the public can join:

www.bepartofresearch.uk

People with dementia or memory problems, their carers and anyone over 18 who is interested can sign up. You can sign up online, over the phone or by post.

These registers will help to match you with studies in which you could participate – these might be online or in your local area.

To read more about taking part in research with BHG click the following link:

Taking part in Research information for patients

Some of our Current Studies:

Whalebridge Practice, Ashington House surgery, Park Lane Practice and Phoenix Surgery are taking part in the ThinkCancer! trial.

The ThinkCancer! Research study has been developed to help general practices recognize possible cancers earlier. Participating practices will either receive the unique education training package to all staff or continue usual care. At the end of the study practices that did not receive the training will be compared with those that had the ThinkCancer! training through collection of data that indicates the time between a patient first contacting their general practice with a potential cancer symptom and their referral to hospital. This is known as the Primary Care Interval (PCI). The aim is to establish if the training package to Practice staff is both effective and cost-effective. Reducing the PCI is known to be linked with an earlier stage of cancer at diagnosis, needing less treatment, hopefully better patient outcomes and a reduction in cost to the NHS overall.

Elm Tree Surgery, North Swindon Practice and Ashington House Surgery are supporting this study looking at brain changes during the withdrawal of antidepressants:

If you are interested please contact Seline Uran (seline.uran@nhs.net 07354 789341).

Victoria Cross Surgery is supporting TIGER:

Further information about the Tiger study can be found here.

Elm Tree Surgery is supporting the ATHENA shingles study

We want to find out if taking amitriptyline can prevent the persistent pain that some people get after shingles.

50 years or older and recently got shingles? You may be able to take part. Ask your doctor for more information.

Shingles is a distinctive blistering rash that appears on only one side of the body and is painful.

If you think you have shingles, ask for a same day appointment as you may benefit from antiviral medication.

You may also be eligible for an NHS study (the ATHENA shingles study), to find out whether a treatment can prevent persistent pain, months after the rash has gone.

Website: www.bristol.ac.uk/athena-study

Email: athena-study@bristol.ac.uk

Twitter: @AthenaStudy