Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Clinical Informatics and Health Outcomes Research Group (CIHORG)

Data from over 2000 general practices

Produces weekly reports on communicable and respiratory diseases


The Clinical Informatics and Health Outcomes Research Group (CIHORG) is the home of the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC), one of the world oldest sentinel networks as well as involved in a wide range of observational and interventional research. 

The RSC has been involved in the sentinel surveillance of respiratory disease, including influenza and COVID-19, for over 50 years.   It is a long standing collaboration between the RCGP and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).  The scale of the RSC and it capabilities have expanded considerably since 2013, and described in the RSC’s 2023-2024 protocol and recent cohort profile.  The lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic included the importance of our network recording high quality data, linking primary care data to virology and other data sources, and providing rapid data access, if we are to be ready for the next. 

The RSC collected pseudonymised data from 2,000 general practice network members and is used for disease surveillance and research. CIHORG has direct links to the RSC member practices who record high quality data, collect virology, serology and other samples, and recruit practices into research projects.

 CIHORG is led by: Simon de Lusignan – Professor of Primary Care & Clinical Informatics, who can be contacted via Zahn Gowar.  Our chief statistician is Mark Joy.

CIHORG is organised into two theme groups:

Surveillance and infectious disease epidemiology, led by Uy Hoang,  with project management provided by Karina O’Neill and Dominic Dunn (laboratory links).

Cardiometabolic research is lead by Jose Ordonez-Mena, with project management  provided by Filipa Ferreira.

Current Projects

Current projects in addition to disease surveillance include:

Contact us

Email us: 

simon.delusignanpa@phc.ox.ac.uk

Gibson Building, Radcliffe Observatory,

Woodstock Rd, Oxford OX2 6GG

Map

Our Team

Trials and Prospective Studies

Current and previous studies

Trials and Prospective Studies

Weekly communicable and respiratory disease report

 (via RCGP)

Weekly reports

Surveillance

Research and surveillance centre

Surveillance

RCGP RSC virology practices dashboard

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

View dashboard

Latest News

Kate Sheridan stands at the front of an audience of sixth form students in the Radcliffe Primary Care atrium.

Sixth form students explore careers in health research

Earlier this week we welcomed sixth form students from local state schools across Oxfordshire to an annual careers event, offering a window into the world of health and medical research and an opportunity to join our Young Persons’ Advisory Group.

Values awards logo

Department Values Awards winners 2025

2025 marks the second year that NDPCHS has held the Values Awards – a peer recognition scheme to recognise and reward staff and DPhil students who have exceptionally demonstrated the department values through their work, behaviour or projects and activities in the department.

female gp with patient explaining a prescription

Academic leaders respond to Medical Research Council call for urgent action on GP research workforce

UK academics call for urgent action to protect the academic GP workforce as government commits £29bn to shift NHS care from hospitals to community. New recommendations aim to safeguard world-leading primary care research.