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Dr Oliver Van Hecke wins ESCMID Young Investigator Award
7 June 2023
Dr Oliver Van Hecke, Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, has been awarded the Young Investigator Award by ESCMID (European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases).
Multi-cancer blood test showed ‘real promise’ in NHS trial
2 June 2023
An NHS trial of a new blood test for more than 50 types of cancer, led by the University of Oxford, correctly revealed two out of every three cancers among over 5,000 people who had visited their GP with suspected symptoms, in England or Wales. The test also correctly identified the original site of cancer in 85% of those cases.
Professor Peter Scarborough co-leads new £5.4 million national consortium to transform the food system and encourage healthier diets
1 June 2023
Diet, Data and Interventions Health behaviours
SALIENT will co-design and evaluate interventions that support healthier diets and reduce the environmental impacts of our food system, working with partners in local government, food charities, community support teams and the food industry.
New study shows quitting smoking can improve mental health, providing reassurance to smokers and clinicians
31 May 2023
Health behaviours Research methods & EBM
A new cohort study led by Oxford University has provided compelling evidence that quitting smoking can lead to improved mental health outcomes among people with and without mental health disorders, alleviating concerns raised by both clinicians and smokers.
Clinical Trials Day 2023
19 May 2023
Tomorrow, Saturday 20 May, is Clinical Trials Day, an excellent opportunity to reflect on the immense value that trials hold in advancing medical knowledge and improving healthcare outcomes. Trials such as those run out of the PC-CTU are the cornerstone of scientific progress, enabling researchers to test new treatments, therapies, and interventions in a controlled environment.
The safety of GP prescribing in England was not adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, finds new study using OpenSAFELY
19 May 2023
Researchers from the universities of Oxford and Nottingham have found that despite substantial disruption to primary care services, the safety of GP prescribing in England was largely unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox becomes a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
18 May 2023
The Academy of Medical Sciences has elected eight University of Oxford biomedical and health scientists to its fellowship, including Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.
CTU presents at the NIHR 7th Annual Primary Care Research Symposium
18 May 2023
On Tuesday the 16th of May, members of the CTU attended the 7th Annual Primary Care Research Symposium organised by the NIHR’s Thames Valley and South Midland’s Clinical Research Network. Held at Milton Hill House Hotel in Abingdon, the symposium was an opportunity for researchers from all backgrounds to network, learn about opportunities to take part in current trials, and discuss the future of primary care research.
International Nurses Day
12 May 2023
Today, Friday 12th May, is International Nurses Day. This annual day is an excellent opportunity to honour the hard work and dedication of nurses who provide essential care to patients in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings. It also serves as a reminder of the important role nurses play in improving global health outcomes
Infections group and CTU win big at 2023 Antibiotic Guardian Awards
4 May 2023
The Infections and Acute Care Group and the Primary Care Clinical Trials unit – both led by Professor Chris Butler – had a momentous evening on Tuesday May 2, as they swept the Antibiotic Guardian Awards, receiving accolades for revolutionary research and science communications. The teams won in the categories of Research and COVID-19 learning and also got Highly Commended for Research.
Introducing Proxemis: the University of Oxford and EMIS have announced a new joint venture, Proxemis, an end-to-end clinical trial solution
4 May 2023
Clinical trials Digital health & innovation
Combining the world-renowned expertise of the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science's Clinical Trials Unit with the software and data management capabilities of EMIS, Proxemis is reimagining research to support healthier lives with a uniquely tailored experience for clinical trial delivery.
New module on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and behaviour change in primary care for health professionals training for the ESCMID AMS Certificate
20 April 2023
A new module was delivered to an international group of health professionals on ‘Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in primary care: a behaviour change approach’. This is an advanced, core module delivered as part of the training for the AMS Certificate (2022-24). The certificate is offered by the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), Europe’s leading non-profit organisation with a mission to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infection-related diseases.
New Oxford and Nottingham developed tool uses existing health records to predict people’s risk of developing lung cancer within the next 10 years.
6 April 2023
Cancer Digital health & innovation Infection, Respiratory and Acute Care QResearch
A team of researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Nottingham have developed a new tool, called ‘CanPredict’, able to identify the people most at risk of developing lung cancer over the next 10 years, and put them forward for screening tests earlier, saving time, money and, most importantly, lives.
Online arts and culture for young people’s mental health – new research programme announced
3 April 2023
Young people will help create an ‘online museum’ as a way of improving their mental health, as part of a new and ground-breaking £2.61m research project.
School closures may reduce COVID-19 transmission, but may harm children's education, health, and wellbeing, finds new study
31 March 2023
Researchers at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford have conducted a systematic overview of reviews – considered the highest quality of evidence in research – to assess the impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Annual Cancer and Primary Care Research International Network (Ca-PRI) Conference
31 March 2023
The Cancer Research Group recently hosted the 14th Annual Cancer and Primary Care Research International Network (Ca-PRI) Conference at Worcester College over 23rd and 24th of March. We were joined for a jam packed 2 days by a record-breaking number of delegates from 14 countries across 4 continents who were enthusiastic to attend the first face-to-face Ca-PRI Conference since 2019.
Reflecting on PANORAMIC and PRINCIPLE, three years into the COVID-19 Pandemic
30 March 2023
Earlier this month—Saturday 11 March 2023—we marked the third anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the COVID-19 pandemic. This anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from the pandemic and renew efforts to strengthen health systems and ensure equitable access to vaccines and treatments.
Athena Swan Gold Award Success for NDPCHS
17 March 2023
Athena SWAN Awards & appointments
We are absolutely delighted to receive the Gold Athena Swan Award for the first time. The award reflects the department’s commitment to representation, progression and success for all. It acknowledges the innovative policies and practices developed across the department and the detailed action plans for improvement.
International Long Covid Awareness Day: Launch examines patient perspectives on COVID-19
16 March 2023
On Wednesday March 15th—the first International Long Covid Awareness Day—researchers from the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences launched an online discussion of four qualitative studies exploring patient experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oxford University partners with Clarion Housing Group to support smoking cessation for people living in social housing
7 March 2023
Members of the Health Behaviours team at the University of Oxford has joined forces with the Clarion Housing Group, the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) and Smoke Free to run a pilot exploring the impact of giving up smoking and estimate likely cost savings for residents.
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