[10
OCT 00] UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK NEWS
£2m Research Into GPs, Dentists And Opticians
A
£1.9 million programme is being launched by the University of Warwick
to develop a network of researchers looking at ways to improve the
quality of NHS primary care services.
Working
for the university's Centre for Primary Health Care Studies, the
researchers will tackle questions that will make a difference to the
effectiveness of treatments and primary health care services.
Local
GPs, nurses, and other primary care health professionals and managers
will contribute their ideas on the research needed and the network
will provide resources and support those keen to engage in research
themselves.
The
five-year grant totalling £1.9 million is from National Health
Service Executive West Midlands.
The
network will concentrate on three areas of research:
- Chronic
disease, particularly rheumatology and diabetes
- Health
promotion, screening and risk assessment
- Patient
access to health care
In
each of these areas it will consider themes such as research on
professional education, organisational research, rural health,
self-care, health inequalities, mental health, patient/lay views and
development of research methodology.
The
network includes academics from a range of departments at the
University of Warwick, as well as Coventry University, University of
Aston, and University College Worcester.
The
network has close links with the Primary Care Research Consortium of
six general practices in the locality where research can be undertaken
in the field.
Jeremy
Dale, Professor of Primary Care, University of Warwick said:
"Over
90 per cent of contacts with the health service take place in
primary care; this includes GPs, community nurses, dentists and
opticians.
"Until
recently there has been little research taking place in Primary Care
compared to other branches of medicine.
"This
initiative aims to undertake research that will lead to more
effective primary health care services."
Dr
Frances Griffiths, Director of the Network and a local GP in Coventry,
said:
"This
initiative draws together the research expertise of the Universities
of Warwick, Coventry and Aston and of University College Worcester
to address the important research questions for Primary Health Care
services."
The
Warwick-West Midlands Primary Care Research Network will be launched
on Thu in an event bringing together the university’s health care
researchers with local GPs, nurses, other primary health care
providers and senior health officials.
Professor
Richard Lilford, Director of R&D, NHSE West Midlands will be
speaking on the importance of Primary Care research in today’s
health service.
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