Research Practice

We are a Research Practice for the NHS Primary Care Research Network and participate in several research studies annually.

In medicine we are constantly striving to find the most effective treatments for common conditions and research is the key factor that helps up to provide this knowledge. As a practice we take great care to choose studies which will feel will benefit our patients. From time to time you may be invited to take part in one of our studies.  There is no obligation to take part and if you decline it will not affect your treament in any way.

Additionally the Practice contributes anonymous data to a database(s) used for health care research purposes. The data collection scheme has been approved by the South East Multicentre Research Ethics Committee. This Committee oversees all research conducted on the data. The database holds anonymised data on millions of patients, and no patient will be traceable to anyone outside the Practice.

In addition, we contribute anonymised records to a data base known as The Health Improvement Network (THIN). This database is managed by a company outside the NHS which does not have access to your personal details, only to anonymous medical records. The data is used for research into such topics as drug safety, disease patterns, prescribing patterns, health economics and public health.

If anything to do with the research would require that you provide additional information about yourself, you will be contacted to see if you are willing to take part; you will not be identified in any published results.

If at any time you would like to know more, or have any concerns about how we use your information, please contact Mrs Kathryn Blurton , Practice Manager, on 01395 441 212.