According to the NHS Constitution, research is a fundamental function of the NHS. Clinical research drives innovation and is essential for maintaining and enhancing high standards of patient care. Through clinical research, patients gain access to new treatments, interventions, and medicines. Investment in research translates into better and more cost-effective care for patients.
In 2006, the Department of Health established the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to enhance the nation’s health and wealth through research. The NIHR Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDN) was created to provide the NHS with the necessary infrastructure to set up and conduct high-quality research efficiently and effectively.
Watership Down Health is an active research surgery. We collaborate closely with the South Central RRDN, conducting non-commercial clinical studies within our practice. Many of these studies are coordinated through Southampton University and the NIHR School of Primary Care Research.
What is primary care research?
The RRDN Primary Care speciality works in collaboration with researchers and primary care successful delivery of research studies in the NHS. A wide range of research studies are supported which look at:
- Promoting a healthier lifestyle
- Disease diagnosis and prevention
- Management of long-term illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension
- Prevention of future ill-health
- Treating common conditions such as tonsillitis or influenza
What are the benefits of GP practices taking part in research?
- It offers patients access to new treatments
- It brings new dimension to practice and added skills to those involved
- It provides national gold standard for training and research
- It offers mentorship and support to those involved in research within the practice
How can you help and take part?
There are various ways a patient can become involved in studies at Watership Down Medical:
- A doctor or nurse may talk to you about a particular study and ask whether you would be interested in participating
- You may be sent information through the post or via text if we feel you may be a suitable participant
- You may read information about a current study in the patient waiting room or on the surgery website and wish to take part by contacting the surgery or talking to your GP
All clinical research carried out at our surgeries is thoroughly checked and approved by ethical committees thus ensuring it is appropriate and safe to perform. Your participation is entirely voluntary and can be withdrawn by yourself at any time without any explanation required.
You are under no obligation to participate in any research project.
Your care and your relationship with your doctor will not be affected in any way if you decided not to take part in a research study.
You will always receive clear information about what taking part in a research study would involve. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and obtain further details about a study.
If you do agree to take part in a study, you will be asked to sign a consent form. This will clearly state which parts of your notes (if any) may be looked at for the purposes of the research study. Nobody from outside this practice will be given your contact details or have access to your medical records without your prior consent.
Currently recruiting studies
- ATHENA (Shingles study) – Can amitriptyline prevent post-herpetic neuralgia?
- TIGER Trial of food allergy (IgE) tests for eczema relief in young children (3 month – 2 years).
- COACH study – comparing cochlear implants with hearing aids in adults with severe hearing loss.
Other research at the surgery:
Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research Surveillance Centre (RSC)
The RCGP RSC is an active research and surveillance unit that collects and monitors data from over 2000 practices across England and Wales and has been the primary source for surveillance in England for over 60 years.
The RCGP collaborate with the University of Oxford, and the UK Health Agency (UKHSA) in the running of the RSC.
Please see here for more information about how, what and why the public health data is collected by the RCGP RSC.
Watership Down Health is soon to be involved in virology swabbing patients with respiratory infections. This sampling allows the RCGP RSC to monitor the spread of communicable and respiratory diseases across primary care (such as COVID-19). For more information on this please see the Surveillance — Orchid website.
The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD)
The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) is real world service supporting retrospective and prospective public health and clinical studies. CPRD research data services are delivered by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with support of the National Institute of Healthcare Research (NHIR) as part of the Department for Health and Social Care.
CPRD collects anonymised patient data from a network of GP practices across the UK. Primary care data are linked to a range of other health related data to provide a longitudinal, representative UK population health dataset. The data encompass 60 million patients, including 18 million currently registered patients.
For more than 35 years, research using CPRD data and services has informed clinical guidance and best practice, resulting in over 3,500 peer-reviewed publications investigating drug safety, use of medicines, effectiveness of health policy, health care delivery and disease risk factors.
If you have any queries regarding research at the surgery, then please don’t hesitate to contact the research team at hiowicb-hsi.wdhresearch@nhs.net. Please note this inbox is not monitored daily and if the matter is clinically urgent, please contact the surgery by phone.
If you would like to opt out of receiving research invitations or NHS data sharing you can do so on the NHS Website.