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Clinical Informatics and Health Outcomes Research Group

Data from over 1900 general practices

Produces weekly reports on communicable and respiratory diseases

© Shutterstock

The Clinical Informatics and Health Outcomes Group is a dynamic and dedicated team of researchers, SQL developers, statisticians and practice liaison officers who work with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre to monitor and report on the incidence of common illnesses in the community. We extract and aggregate data from primary care computer systems and other parts of the health system for cross-sectional, cohort and case-control studies.

Having relocated to Oxford from the University of Surrey in 2019, we have a rich history of projects around how technology can enable quality and support the implementation of clinical governance. 

RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC)

Group Lead, Professor Simon de Lusignan, is Medical Director of the RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC), which utilises from an extensive network of more than 1900 practices to provide a timely picture of consultations by diagnosis with sentinel GPs in England. The RSC is the principal primary care surveillance system across England, offering a nationally representative sample.

The incidence data provides the College, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Department of Health and Social Care with early warning of changes in the incidence of common illnesses presenting to general practice surgeries, particularly important for illnesses such as influenza like-illness and incidence rates for acute illnesses, as detailed in the RCGP’s weekly Communicable and Respiratory Disease Report for England.

RCGP Workload Observatory

The Workload Observatory reports on trends in activity across a nationally representative network of general practices. It provides hard, near real time evidence on current workload levels as well as a picture of the complexity of cases that are increasingly being seen in general practice. This in turn will help drive national policy and inform national strategy.

Our team

Recent publications:

More publications

Weekly communicable and respiratory disease report

Weekly reports (via RCGP)

RCGP RSC Network intelligence

RCGP RSC practice members have access to personalised dashboard, which shows an aggregated version of their data by week and compared with the rest of the network.

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RCGP RSC virology practices dashboard

RCGP RSC virology practices sampling and detection of influenza and other monitored viruses.

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RCGP Workload Observatory

Reporting on trends in activity across nationally representative network of general practices.

View Workload Observatory

COVID-19 Observatory

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, we have been working closely with Public Health England (PHE) and other national bodies to closely monitor and make plans to deal with any situation that may develop in the UK.

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Latest:

Pink image of cancer cells

Pancreatic cancer could be diagnosed up to three years earlier

Big data Cancer

Pancreatic cancer could be identified in patients up to three years earlier than current diagnoses, new research suggests. Weight loss and increasing blood glucose levels are early indicators of pancreatic cancer and could lead to a more timely diagnosis, helping to improve survival rates.

A picture of a lady taking a pill with a glass of water.

Azithromycin and doxycycline are not generally effective against COVID-19 in patients treated at home, shows PRINCIPLE trial

Big data COVID-19 Clinical trials Infection & acute care

Update from the Chief Investigators of the Platform Randomised trial of INterventions against COVID-19 In older peoPLE (PRINCIPLE), 25 January 2021

A blue keyboard and a doctor's stethoscope

1,700 GP practices contribute patient data for Oxford COVID-19 research

Big data COVID-19

Researchers have hailed a ‘fantastic’ response from more than 1,700 GP practices who have stepped forward to contribute patient data for vital COVID-19 research from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences – tripling the amount of data available.

Sociodemographic factors associated with a positive test for COVID-19 in primary care

Big data COVID-19 Infection & acute care

With the Royal College of General Practitioners, we have joined forces with clinical system supplier EMIS Health to urgently recruit as many GP practices as possible for COVID-19 research.

GP practices urged to join COVID-19 research

Big data COVID-19 Clinical trials Infection & acute care

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) have joined forces with clinical system supplier EMIS Health to urgently recruit as many GP practices as possible for COVID-19 research.

Improving labour productivity in primary care

Big data Digital health & innovation Health Services Research

The Oxford RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre are to collaborate on Health Foundation-funded project.

checking insulin levels

Black and ethnic minority people face inequality in diabetes treatment

Big data Cardiovascular & metabolic

Children of older parents receive later ADHD diagnosis than peers

Big data

Department welcomes incoming professors

Awards & appointments Big data Digital health & innovation Patient experience Policy & health systems Research methods & EBM