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tess harris.jpg

Reader in Primary Care and GP

I graduated from St George's University of London (SGUL) in 1988, completed GP training in 1992, worked in India on a primary health care programme, then gained an Epidemiology MSc (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) in 1994. I started at SGUL as a lecturer in 1994 (senior lecturer 2005, reader 2014).

Currently I am a Reader in Primary Care in the Population Health Research Institute, SGUL. I am a Primary Care Epidemiology Group (PCEG) member. I combine SGUL research and teaching activities, with part-time general practice at Sonning Common Health Centre, Oxfordshire.

My research specialty is primary care epidemiology. My MD (2005) examined depression, disability and service use by older people, linking survey and routine GP data. Currently I specialise in primary care trials and GP database research.

I am chief investigator for two NIHR-funded primary care pedometer-based walking RCTs in adults (PACE-UP) and older adults (PACE-Lift) which showed positive 12-month effects. Extended 3 and 4-year follow-up has just demonstrated persistent intervention effects, we have been adopted by our South London CLAHRC for implementation work, including testing online support and mobile apps. I am a co-investigator on a multi-site primary care trial using physical activity to reduce smoking (TARS).

Current primary care database work in collaboration with PCEG members focuses on: diabetes and infections; compression of morbidity; and pre-eclampsia/ pregnancy induced hypertension. Recent published work has examined healthcare use and health outcomes for learning disability patients (NIHR), care home patients (BUPA foundation) and partners following bereavement (Dunhill Trust).