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Research

Suffolk Primary Care

NHS expected to participate in support health & care research.

All NHS organisations are expected to participate and support health and care research. Conducting high-quality clinical research helps us to keep improving NHS care by finding out which treatments work best. All the practices within Suffolk Primary Care are committed to clinical research. The dedicated Suffolk Primary Care research team may look at your health records to check whether you are suitable to take part in a research study before asking you whether you are interested or sending you a letter on behalf of the researcher. For more information about how your information may be used in research and your rights, please click here.

Suffolk Primary Care

Research in the NHS

helps us increase our knowledge about human health and wellbeing so we can:

  • Develop life-changing treatments

  • Diagnose disease earlier and more accurately

  • Prevent people from developing conditions

  • Improve health and care for future generations

  • Improve quality of life for all people

You may be approached by your GP practice about a study if you meet the eligibility criteria for the trial. We have undertaken studies for patients with a number of conditions including stroke, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as well as for indigestion and reflux. If you do receive an invitation to take part in a study the research team at Suffolk Primary Care are very happy to talk to you about the study in more detail and provide further information if you are interested in taking part.

 

Research Suffolk Primary Care is currently involved in

SAFER: Screening for Atrial Fibrillation with ECG to Reduce stroke

The SAFER Trial - Screening for Atrial Fibrillation with ECG to Reduce stroke run by the University of Cambridge. Atrial fibrillation is a common irregular heartbeat, and is a major risk factor for stroke unless treated with medication. The aim of the study is to find out whether a national screening programme for atrial fibrillation is possible/achievable, will prevent strokes and is good value for money for the NHS. Patients aged 70 years and over are being invited to take part in a research trial that aims to answer these questions. This trial is currently being run at The Derby Road Practice, Combs Ford Surgery, Oakfield Surgery, Debenham Group Practice and Haven Health.

 

The Discover Me Study:

A nationwide research study, run by Omnigen Biodata, a research and development company based in Cambridge, which aims to analyse health and genetic information on thousands of people. The research aims to improve understanding of many different diseases, and to find ways to help GP practices improve patient care. Eligible patients from all Suffolk Primary Care practices will be invited to take part via an invitation text message.

The Third Infectious Intestinal Disease Study in the UK, run by Newcastle University and funded by the Food Standards Agency, is a big national study about the gut health which aims to estimate the burden and causes of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in the UK population. Eligible patients from Combs Ford Surgery, Debenham Group Practice, Haven Health, Oakfield Surgery and The Derby Road Practice will be invited to take part via an invitation text message.

Suffolk Primary Care are working alongside uMed as a Patient Identification Centre (PIC) to help identify patients to take part in PREDICT-PD, a nationwide study that aims to identify people at high risk of Parkinson’s before the symptoms appear. The study uses online tests that screen for factors linked to increased risk of Parkinson’s. Eligible patients from all Suffolk Primary Care practices will be invited to take part via an invitation text message.

Patients with established cardiovascular diseases (including previous heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease), Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension are being invited to take part in a Phases III commercial trial within our SPC practices. The trial is researching the benefits of taking the investigational drug in reducing the development of heart failure and cardiovascular death. Participants who take part in this study will also be taking an approved and established drug (dapagliflozin) which is commonly used to treat patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitis Chronic Kidney Disease and heart failure. The research is sponsored by AstraZeneca AB. We will be inviting patients from all our SPC practices and have already started to recruit patients from Debenham Group Practice and Haven Health. Invitations will be sent to eligible patients via SMS or letter.

FTD Toolkit: Understanding Frontotemporal Dementia and Supporting Carers Along the Journey:
The University of East Anglia are recruiting carers currently supporting a family member living with Frontotemporal dementia. The study team are developing an online support tool, known as the FTD Toolkit, to help carers manage the symptoms of Frontotemporal Dementia and are very keen to hear from carers with experience of FTD to support the development of this resource. To find out more please contact the UEA study team on ftdtoolkit.study@uea.ac.uk or to to their website https://ftdtoolkit.org/en
Suffolk Primary Care

Patient research

Our patients tell us they like being part of research. Here are some examples of comments that have been received from our research participants from the 2021/22 CRN East of England Participant Research Experience Survey :

  • “It’s worthwhile and helps future research”

  • “Not only will it potentially help me but many other and will reduce NHS costs”

  • “I felt my participation was valued”

  • “The intent of the trial, the need for volunteers and the appreciation of my stepping up made it a positive experience”

Suffolk Primary Care

Clinical Practice Research Datalink

The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) is a comprehensive research database that collects and stores anonymized health information from various primary care practices across the United Kingdom. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers and healthcare professionals to conduct studies, monitor health trends, and investigate the effectiveness of treatments and interventions.

Suffolk Primary Care and all its affiliated practices have successfully become part of the CPRD programme. This means that our organisation is actively contributing to this vast repository of medical data, which will ultimately lead to advancements in medical research, improved patient care, and a better understanding of various health conditions. By participating in the CPRD, Suffolk Primary Care is demonstrating its commitment to fostering evidence-based practices and supporting the advancement of medical knowledge for the benefit of our patients and the broader healthcare community.

More information.

Suffolk Primary Care is an innovative partnership of GP Surgeries based in Suffolk covering 70,000 patients.

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