ContactME-IBS

This project is inviting people who experience symptoms of a common condition known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to join an IBS Research Register.  Symptoms of IBS include constipation, diarrhoea (or both), stomach discomfort and bloating.  The organisers hope that IBS research will help them to better understand the condition as well as develop and assess new treatments.  The register would hold the contact information of adults interested in hearing about and taking part in future IBS research.  People who register would be matched to any relevant research as it becomes available and would be contacted to see if they would like to take part in a study.  The organisers would not share their information with other research teams or organisations, and individuals are free to remove their details from the register at any time.  More information is available online at: https://www.contactme-ibs.co.uk/ or from leaflets available in our waiting area/foyer.

Patient views on taking part in research

 

Every year, we conduct a postal survey of all our patients who have joined a research study through this Practice.  Below is a selection of comments made by some of our survey respondents (August 2019) about their views on the benefits of getting involved in their research study:

 

Early Arthritis Study	“I know I have arthritis but it was good to know that I do not have rheumatoid arthritis"   “It couldn't have been done better.  The person I saw who explained it all was excellent”   “It was less work than I expected”   “Encouraged me to find out about arthritis and pay attention to my general health”   “I am willing to take part in any relevant research projects … I feel it is important to take part in these studies for the benefit of those who need treatment in years to come”
Renewed Online Study	“Reassurance that research is being carried out looking at the after care of post cancer treatment patients”   “The study website carried some useful info online”   “Just glad to be involved and help wherever I can”   “A wellbeing and confidence that these studies are looking to improve things”   “Cancer requires as much research as possible. I have no objection providing anything that can be of use”
Improving Clinical Care in Diabetes Study (ICCD)	“I am always pleased to contribute to medical research”   “This was the first study I did, so I am hoping it will help me and others to cope with our conditions”   “All very good”   “It's great to have the opportunity to take part in research”   “I am sure it will be extremely useful for future patients in years to come”

 

The Pisces Study has now closed for recruitment (as of 31 December 2019).  The study recruited young adults (age 18 to 45 years) who were experiencing ongoing back pain.  Participants gave the study team permission to collect relevant follow up information from their health records, and filled in a short questionnaire about their back pain symptoms.  Sixteen patients from the Practice have been involved in the research - thank you to all who took part.

The Early Arthritis Study has now closed for recruitment.  We recruited 84 patients in total – thank you to everyone who has taken part.  Any participants who joined the study during 2019 will be followed up by post and should receive a brief study questionnaire about 12 months after they had their study blood test.

Research Online Magazine - Frontier South West

The National Institute for Health Research bi-annual publication FRONTIER magazine for the South West is now available for you to read, with information and stories from across the region.

Participating in research takes many forms and this issue has stories showing how patients, members of the public and organisations can get involved in high quality research that changes lives.

Read online: https://issuu.com/crnswp/docs/nhs_nihr_frontier_summer_2019_web 

In this issue:

• Taking part in a clinical trial was the “luckiest day of my life”
• Cornish man hopes to improve mental health treatments in the future by taking part in clinical research
• Regular crosswords and number puzzles linked to sharper brain in later life
• Somerset family take part in research looking to prevent lives lost to Type 1 diabetes
• Strides in local mental health research recognised nationally
• Taking part in health research comes highly recommended by patients in South West, survey shows
• Become a Patient Research Ambassador

New research study - 16 July 2019

GLAD (Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression)


We are pleased to support a new research study called 'GLAD'.  This study is exploring risk factors and genetic links in anxiety and depression.  It aims to better understand depression and anxiety and help find and develop more effective treatments.

The study is open to individuals who:

·         Are aged 16+

·         Live in the UK

·        Are currently experiencing OR have experienced (at any time in their lives) clinical levels of depression and/or anxiety, including bipolar disorder, OCD or related disorders

If you would like to find out more about this research, please visit the study website at:

www.gladstudy.org.uk 

On the study website, you can read further information about the research and you can register to join the study.  In taking part in the research, you would be asked to:

• provide online consent;
• complete an online questionnaire (which takes approx 30 minutes); and
• send a saliva sample through the post - the study team will provide all the necessary sampling equipment and a freepost envelope.

New Research Study - 5 February 2019

ICCD Study - Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

The Practice is supporting a new diabetes project called the ‘Improving Clinical Care in Diabetes (ICCD) Study’.  The project would like to explore why diabetes, and its associated complications, progress quickly in some patients and much slower in others.  Patients who agree to take part would be followed up by a study team based at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital for up to 10 years.

Patients are potentially eligible to take part if they:

• Are age 16 years or above
  
• Have a diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
  
• Are able to given written informed consent to take part and complete study questionnaires

Taking part involves:

• Signing a consent form (your formal agreement to take part in the research)
  
• Sharing information about yourself and your diabetes with the study researchers – by completing some questionnaires and allowing researchers to collect information from your health records
  
• Allowing a blood/urine sample leftover from your routine clinical care to be used for the research to include extracting DNA from the sample
  

Participation in the ICCD Study is entirely voluntary and would not affect the care you receive from your GP or Nurses.  You would be free to withdraw your consent to take part  in the study at any time, without having to give a reason.

If you would like to find out more about this research, please contact our Research Nurse, Chris Wright who will be pleased to discuss the study with you or post you a study information pack (Telephone: 01404 814447).  Chris can also provide support with completing the study paperwork, if this is needed.