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Our main aim is to assist researchers to conduct high quality primary care research using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD).

CPRD research data services are delivered by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). 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.

The data covers everything that is coded in primary care patient records including demographics, diagnoses, clinical measures, test results, immunisations, and prescriptions. It can be linked with other data resources, such as Office for National Statistics Mortality Data, Hospital Episodes Statistics and various UK registries, such as the Cancer Registry.

We are the authorised site-licence holders on behalf of the University of Oxford and have several trained fob-holders who may access the data for approved projects.

Within our CPRD team, we have experts who are trained specifically in accessing and managing data, and these experts are available to assist researchers who are interested in conducting observational research using CPRD data with their specific data requests.

Our published research to date has included health care utilisation analyses, epidemiological studies of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, toxicity studies and risk prediction. Our publications have been widely cited and are informing health policy, such as the PSSRU Unit Costs of Health and Social Care.

We have established several collaborations within the Department, the University (including the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Public Health, National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, and The George Institute), and between other Universities (University of Bristol, Exeter University, Newcastle University and the other constituent members of the NIHR School of Primary Care Research).

Our projects in the coming year will include the patterns of disease presentation in primary care, complexity of primary care consultations, multimorbidity, heart failure, respiratory conditions, risk score predictions and cancer.

Please contact us as soon as possible when you are planning your project or grant application so we may help you with costings for access to data and provide advice with design.

how we can work with you >