Observational Studies

PANACEA - PAN Alimentary Cancer Exhaled Breath Analysis - IRAS 337943

Aims: This study has multiple work packages which aim to develop a breath test which will help to detect gastrointestinal cancers earlier. The breath test is hoped to detect small molecules called volatile organic compounds that are made by GI cancers. This work package aims to investigate the views of GPs, pharmacist and other HCPs on the breath test by conducting semi-structured interviews. 

Participants will receive £50 for their time. 

Please contact your Officer/Facilitator for a copy of the Participant Information Sheet and Consent Form. 

Clinicians’ Perspectives on a Novel Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST) Device in UTI Management

Aims: NIHR HRC in Diagnostic and Technology Evaluation (HRC DTE) at Newcastle University is conducting focus group to explore clinicians’ perspectives on a novel rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) device. This device can perform direct AST from patient samples and provide recommendations of appropriate antibiotics to use for bacterial or fungal infections within 1 hour. 

Who can take part? We are looking for UK-based clinicians who diagnose, manage, and treat UTIs in primary and secondary care practice. Your expertise will help us determine how this device could be best used to improve patient care. As a participant in this study, you will be invited to join a focus group of 5-6 healthcare professionals in which we will explore your views on the topics below in-depth.

The discussion will be conducted by video conferencing (Teams or Zoom) on a mutually agreed time and date and will last approximately 60-75 minutes. Please get in touch with your RDN co-ordinator/officer if you are interested in being involved. 

LTPA_pregnancy__v1.0 - Exploration of patterns in pregnant women's Leisure-time physical activity: The role of motivation, fear of foetal harm, and social-environmental characteristics of antenatal care.  IRAS 354478, CPMS 67477

Recruitment End Date Study 1: 15/12/2025 Study 2: 30/04/2026 

Aim:

Study 1: Longitudinal research project collecting objectively recorded leisure time physical activity (via wrist worn accelerometer) and real-time daily questions for 7 days- repeated 3 times, 8 weeks apart (early, middle and late pregnancy).

The aim of this study is to understand associations between fear of foetal harm/exercise, informational support from maternity health care providers, basic psychological need satisfaction for exercise, and motivational regulations towards being active. How might these factors change throughout a pregnancy, as well as exploring leisure time physical activity longitudinally which has rarely been looked at in a UK population. Also want to identify if any differences exist based on type of care (midwifery-led VS obstetric-led), parity, and habitual pre-pregnancy physical activity.

Study 2:  Multi-perspective semi-structured interviews

The aim of this study is to learn from midwives (including student midwives, community midwives, and midwife consultants) and pregnant women (any trimester) about the current state of physical activity guidance, training, support. We aim to identify gaps in training, and use pregnant women’s views of current physical activity guidance, to support future resources and training for midwives to encourage safe trimester-specific physical activity.

Requirements: 

• Advertise both studies on social media (monthly)

• Put up posters in waiting rooms and clinic/appointment rooms.

• Place information cards in pregnant women’s packs before their first appointment 

• Study 1: Signpost pregnant women (before 16 weeks) to the poster to scan the QR code, or tell them there is a study they are eligible for and provide them with the small information card with the same QR code.

• Study 2:Email with the link to the PIS and electronic poster to distribute to midwifery staff. Putting up posters in staff rooms will also help as they can just scan it to be taken to screening and the PIS, and then I can contact them and provide them with consent form if they are interested. For pregnant women, the same process can apply as in study 1, but providing information cards to pregnant women in any trimester rather than up to 16 weeks.

Payments: TBC

Pain Management in Hidradenitis Suppurativa  - IRAS 340556 CPMS 62942 

This 10-minute survey is open to all primary care healthcare professionals who treat patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). 

Recruitment end date: June 2025

Aim: This project aims to determine how much pain people with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) experience and how that pain affects their lives. We want to use this information to develop a pathway for the management of pain in HS for primary care, dermatologists, and pain specialists.  

Requirements: This project involves completing a survey. You can do it online or in paper form if you prefer. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.  

The first part of the survey will ask questions about you and the patients you see with HS.  We will ask some background questions about you before asking more specific questions to understand how much experience you have in managing patients with HS.  The second part focuses specifically on pain symptoms in HS and how you manage them now.  We also want to hear about how you think the care of these patients could be improved.  

Payments: At the end of the survey , you will be given the option to share your email address to participate in a future focus group meeting. If you are chosen for the focus group, you will be remunerated for your time (a two-hour commitment paid at £180).

Go to the survey: https://redcap.link/hspain

INDIGO Community CPMS 56060 IRAS 324034 (sites will be assigned accruals for this study)

End date: 1st September 2025

Aim: This is a multicentre, UK-based, observational study that aims to establish the feasibility of recruiting to a digital Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) study via participant self-identification or contact from the primary care research network. It also explores the feasibility of linking the participants PROMS responses to regional and national NHS data sets.

We can use questionnaires to help us understand how a patient feels about their quality of life (QOL) and experiences of care. These surveys are called Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS). PROMS have been used in research to understand patients' quality of life. However, more needs to be done to understand the quality of life for patients in the long-term following a diagnosis of cancer. 

Requirements: 

● Complete provided OID agreement 

● Run provided database search and identify potential participants. 

● Send out text invites to potentially eligible participants. 

● Inform RRDN and study team once SMS invites have been sent out by confirming: 

a. Date SMS invites sent out 

b. Number of SMS invites sent out.

Payments: 

SSC's:

Preparation for Database search - Practice Manager - £11.61, GP - £45

Database search - Practice Manager - £5.80, GP - £22.50

Check list for exclusions - GP - £17.98 per 60 patients screened 

Paid by LCRN upon activity completion *

RC's:

No research costs are available for this study.

Osteoporosis in Older Women OOW CPMS 55650 IRAS 326908

**RECRUITMENT PAUSED**

End date: 31st march 2025

Aim: All primary care healthcare professionals are invited to take part in this study to share their views on the provision of osteoporosis care. 

The study will use insights from these interviews to develop strategies to improve osteoporosis care by identifying targeted areas and recommendations for improving care in older women. 

Requirements: Arrange and take part in a 30 min remote interview, sharing your experiences of the management of osteoporosis care in older women.

Payments: £28 per Practice nurse, £68 per GP

Interview for HCP experience of working with adults living with obesity  IRAS 325826 - NON PORTFOLIO

Study Planned  end date: TBC

Aim: The team are looking at the experiences of healthcare professionals working in primary care networks and their consultation practices with adults living with obesity. 

Requirements: All professionals working in primary care networks who have experience supporting adults living with obesity are welcome to participate. Participation involves a 60-minute interview with the lead researcher

Payment

Participants will be reimbursed a £20 gift voucher for their time.

Opioid tapering support - Non-Portfolio (This work will contribute to a study on the NIHR Portfolio)

The BRC-funded research team is working to see how they can better support patients and primary care clinicians (GPs and clinical pharmacists) during discussions

around opioid tapering, and would like your help in 2 ways:

1. By completing this 2-minute survey - https://forms.office.com/e/sbKy9kQyYa

2. By volunteering to be part of a focus group

Discussions around opioid tapering can often be challenging for clinicians and overwhelming for patients, so we are looking to develop a tool to help patients express

their concerns more effectively. In addition, we shall provide GPs and pharmacists with tailored resources that will make these conversations more structured, allowing for a

more efficient and focussed discussion around patients' concerns, treatment goals, and pain self-management.

We are looking for GPs and pharmacists to participate in a focus group to develop the tool and make sure it is fit for purpose. The focus group should last 45–60 minutes,

with participants receiving a £50 Amazon voucher for their time.

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact

Sanda van Kruining Kodele, our research assistant, at sanda.vankruiningkodele@ndcn.ox.ac.uk or me at jane.quinlan@ouh.nhs.uk

Your insights would be invaluable in shaping a tool that truly supports both healthcare professionals and patients.

We are also looking for practices who might help us trial the tool once developed, so please get in touch if you’d be interested in that too.