The RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre has adapted its disease surveillance to meet the requirements of COVID-19 surveillance. This includes improving existing data quality, virology (patient self-swab), serosurveillance (to measure background/”herd” immunity), and trials of medicines that might mitigate the effect of COVID-19. Find out more about how to contribute.
For four years now, the RCGP has partnered with the National Institute for Health Research to recognise general practices and First5 GPs who are active in research with Clinical Research Network Awards. Here, the award winners share the impact their award has had on raising the profile of primary care research in their practice.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, the RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre has been working closely with Public Health England (PHE) and other national bodies to closely monitor and plan to deal with any potential outcomes that may develop in the UK. Professor Simon de Lusignan, director of the centre, explains more.
GPs are experts in managing uncertainty, but this is unchartered territory and the College is keen to do everything we can to keep you, your families, and your patients safe in these challenging times.
Pay-for-performance (P4P) is when healthcare professionals or organisations receive financial incentives to improve the quality of care. Mark Minchin, Associate Director, Quality and Leadership, NICE, and Professor Bruce Guthrie, Professor of General Practice, University of Edinburgh discuss the ‘Quality of Care in the United Kingdom after Removal of Financial Incentives' study. This examined the effect of QOF P4P payments being stopped and won an RCGP Research Paper of the Year category award.
Research underpins all clinical work, allowing GPs to provide the best evidence-based clinical care available. Research allows us to develop new ideas and challenge old ones, affecting all aspects of healthcare delivery. Dr Nicholas Thomas, RCGP Clinical Lead for Research, explains how the College supports research and its translation into primary care.
In the last 10 years the evidence has become more compelling that being physically active is one of the most important things that we can do for our health. Dr Zoe Williams, RCGP Clinical Champion for Physical Activity and Lifestyle, outlines what GPs need to know about the recently launched UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity and Lifestyle Guidelines.
GP practices across South Cumbria are utilising quality improvement methodology as the central component of a project to improve continuity of care for their patients. This is one of the five projects supported by the Health Foundation’s Improving Continuity of Care in General Practice programme.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect up to one in 210 patients in the UK. The condition can have an impact on all aspects of the patient’s life, and a multidisciplinary approach to their care is important. The RCGP and Crohn’s and Colitis Inflammatory Bowel Disease Project team has produced a series of podcasts to explore some of the issues affecting patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Over 1,800 UK practices have signed up to join the Clinical Practice Research Datalink network. These practices receive free, confidential patient safety and prescribing reports to support their quality improvement work. Reports have been used by GPs and pharmacists as the basis for clinical audits and medication reviews, as evidence for appraisals and revalidation, and to support work on QOF.