News in 2022

Services must adopt anti-racist and holistic models of care to reduce ethnic inequalities in mental healthcare 13 December 2022 The experiences of people from ethnic minority groups with NHS mental healthcare are being seriously undermined by failures to consider the everyday realities of people’s lives in services in the UK, reports a new study led by researchers at the University of Bristol and Keele University. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study is published in PLOS Medicine today [13 December].
Significant gaps and inequalities in the provision of specialist child weight management services in England, study finds 30 November 2022 Over three quarters of acute NHS trusts in England (77%) do not have a child weight management service, despite being responsible for providing specialist services for the most severely obese, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Bristol and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
New trial to assess whether rapid tests reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections in primary care 23 November 2022 A new randomised controlled clinical trial, led by the University of Bristol, will investigate whether rapid microbiological ‘point-of-care’ tests for respiratory infections could reduce antibiotic prescribing in primary care, thanks to funding of £1.6 million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The tests, which are carried out in GP surgeries rather than sent to a laboratory, detect the presence of viruses and some bacteria, with results available on the same day.
Care home staff find the Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) empowers residents 17 November 2022 GPs and care home staff see the Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) as positive and empowering for residents, according to an evaluation carried out by researchers at NIHR ARC West in collaboration with the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol and West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN).
Researchers partner with local communities to tackle health inequalities across the UK 8 November 2022 A new wave of research projects, including a consortium-building initiative led by the University of Bristol, has been announced to investigate the role of community assets such as parks, galleries and creative organisations in improving health outcomes.
Inequities in access to bereavement support in the UK persist, new research finds 7 November 2022 New research has shown there continue to be inequities in access to bereavement support in the UK. In particular, even though minoritised ethnic communities were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic overall, proportions of ethnically minoritised clients did not increase, according to bereavement services.
The unintended consequences of giving patients online access to their health records 1 November 2022 Giving patients online access to their GP health records has unintended consequences that can limit its usefulness, an ARC West and University of Bristol Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) study published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) has shown.
Call for effective regulation of blood testing companies 27 October 2022 Clinical academics at the University of Bristol have called for the effective regulation of private companies who sell blood tests directly to patients.
Applications for 2023 GP Academic Clinical Fellow posts now open 12 October 2022 Closing date: 2 November 2022
Applications open for an NIHR School for Primary Care Research post-doctoral fellowship 11 October 2022 Deadline: 27 October 2022
Findings from one of the largest consultations on UK bereavement support published 6 October 2022 New findings from one of the largest ever consultations on bereavement support in the UK have been published today by the UK Commission on Bereavement (UKCB).  The research, which involved University of Bristol academics, shows around 750,000 excess bereavements occurred during the pandemic in the UK.
New study to investigate the impact of domestic abuse on healthcare professionals 6 October 2022 Confidential online survey open
Good Grief Festival announces a new programme and the launch of its Grief Channel on YouTube 5 October 2022 Since its launch in 2020, the virtual Good Grief Festival, founded by Dr Lucy Selman, Associate Professor in Palliative and End of Life Care at the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, has reached over 25,000 people. Speakers and participants have come from all walks of life, including academia, journalism, medicine, sport, politics and the arts, united in sharing their knowledge and experiences of grief.
Continuity of care associated with improved prescribing for patients at risk of heart disease 4 October 2022 People at risk of heart disease are more likely to be prescribed relevant medications if they see the same GP over time (known as continuity of care) but not more likely to take their medications (known as adherence), according to researchers at the University of Bristol.
Adverse health outcomes associated with long-term antidepressant use 29 September 2022 Regular review of treatment plans for patients on long-term antidepressants, recommend researchers
Looking after people with multiple long-term conditions in primary care - what needs to change? 27 September 2022 Free webinar: Wednesday, 9 November 2022, 12-1pm, via Zoom
Trauma-informed health care in the UK needs top-down support and evidence-informed policy, strategy and commitment from the government and NHS 27 September 2022 While a trauma-informed approach in health care is being endorsed in government and NHS policies, its implementation has been driven by trauma experts at the level of organisations and local authorities, finds a new study led by the University of Bristol’s TAP CARE Study team. A coordinated, evidence-informed government and NHS position statement, guidance, and explicit commitment are needed alongside UK evidence on the effectiveness and acceptability of trauma-informed approaches in health care.
Join us for the Research in Emergency Care, Avon Collaborative Hub (REACH) annual showcase 22 September 2022 Online: 17 October 2022, 1:30-4:30pm
NIHR funds trial to evaluate the use of food allergy tests for eczema control 13 September 2022 The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funding a definitive follow-on trial to TEST (Trial of Eczema allergy Screening Tests), which investigated the feasibility of evaluating the use of routine food allergy tests for the control of childhood eczema.
New guidance published to help researchers conduct more inclusive research 18 August 2022 The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) INCLUDE project found that many groups in the UK are under-served by clinical trials. To help address this, Dr Shoba Dawson from the University of Bristol and Professor Shaun Treweek from the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with colleagues in other UK and Irish universities (for a full list, see below), have produced guidance on recruiting and retaining people from ethnic minority groups in randomised clinical trials.
How can we end male violence? Bristol conference invites contributions from professionals working with boys and young men 4 August 2022 Researchers from the University of Bristol, in partnership with Bristol Young Men’s Network, are inviting professionals working with boys and young men to contribute to a conference around masculinity, violence and mental health.
Poor communication of test results poses risk for patients 12 July 2022 A lack of clear systems for communicating test results in primary care can lead to confusion, frustration and anxiety for patients and potential delays in diagnosis and treatment, according to research published in the British Journal of General Practice today [12 July 2022].
Dr Jessica Watson joint winner of the SAPC Doctoral prize 2022 23 June 2022 Dr Jessica Watson, NIHR Clinical Lecturer in General Practice at the Centre for Academic Primary Care, is joint winner of this year’s Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) Doctoral prize.
Building community leadership in health research with under-served communities 22 June 2022 A new project to build community leadership among communities that are often under-represented in health research has been given a £10k boost.
Hard Evidence goes on tour and secures evaluation funding 20 June 2022 Hard Evidence, a performance piece about two women affected by domestic abuse, their journey of mutual support, newfound confidence, and the empowering effect of public involvement in research is going on tour in Bristol. It has also secured evaluation funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR Bristol BRC) Director’s Fund.
New project to evaluate how more trauma-informed support can be provided to people who experience multiple disadvantages 20 June 2022 A newly funded project, led by the Centre for Academic Primary Care and NIHR ARC West, will evaluate how Changing Futures in Bristol can provide more trauma-informed support for people with multiple disadvantages.
Child sex abuse victims reveal barriers faced in new ‘Keeping Secrets’ report 9 June 2022 Child sex abuse victims whose cases are going through the criminal justice process, are going through the trial alone or faced with on average a two and a half year wait to access pre-trial therapy, according to one of the findings from a new Home Office-funded report led by University of Bristol researchers.
Launching Common Ambition Bristol - working with African and Caribbean heritage communities to reduce HIV stigma and infections 8 June 2022 A major community-powered project in Bristol is set to launch an outreach programme to address HIV stigma and increase testing among people of African and Caribbean heritage.
Professor Sarah Purdy awarded OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours 6 June 2022 Professor Sarah Purdy is one of two University of Bristol academics to receive awards in the Queen's Birthday Honours list which recognises the outstanding achievements and service of people across the UK, in celebration of Her Majesty’s unprecedented 70 years of service.
Hospital database of serious injuries can be used to identify domestic violence and abuse, finds study 26 May 2022 Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) could be identified in the future using an already established national database of serious injuries, according to new University of Bristol-led research. The pilot study, published in Injury Prevention [26 May], developed a method to identify DVA victim-survivors from hospital records.
The right moisturiser for children with eczema is the one that they like to use, study finds 24 May 2022 The Best Emollients for Eczema trial has found that no one type of moisturiser is better than another. This study, the first in the world to directly compare different types of moisturisers, highlights the importance of patient education and choice when deciding which moisturisers to use for children with eczema. The results from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study are published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and British Journal of General Practice today [24 May].
New festival to support survivors of childhood sexual abuse 13 May 2022 Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) affects half a million children and young people every year. In Bristol alone, it is estimated that 13,000 children and young people are currently living with experiences of sexual abuse. In the first event of its kind, University of Bristol researchers and The Green House, Bristol’s only specialist provider of therapeutic support, are collaborating to stage a Festival to support survivors. The Beyond Therapy Festival of Activism Against Child Sexual Abuse will be held on Thursday 19 May at the Watershed.
Inhaled antibiotics could help reduce antimicrobial resistance 12 May 2022 Using inhaled antibiotics to treat lower respiratory tract infections could help reduce antimicrobial resistance, according to researchers from the University of Bristol and University of Bath.
Just three per cent of adults with a recording of overweight or obesity in primary care in England are referred to weight management programmes 9 May 2022 New University of Bristol-led research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, the Netherlands (4-7 May), has found that just three per cent of adults with a recording of overweight or obesity in England are referred to weight management programmes by their GP.
Children could find it easier to reach a healthier weight if their parents are addressing their own weight 9 May 2022 New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, the Netherlands (4-7 May), has found that many parents attending commercial weight management programmes would be happy for their child, if overweight, to also receive support to reach a healthier weight.
Prescribing for anxiety has increased in those aged under 35 12 April 2022 Researchers from the University of Bristol have found that there have been increases in incident prescribing of most anti-anxiety medications (called anxiolytics) in recent years, which have been substantial in young adults (aged under 25).
Applications open for NIHR School for Primary Care Research funded summer internships 6 April 2022 We have two exciting summer 2022 internship opportunities for UK undergraduates from medicine, allied health professions or other disciplines who are interested in primary care research. These are a fantastic opportunity to get hands-on experience conducting primary care research with experts in the field.
Preventing long-term pain from shingles 4 April 2022 Researchers from the University of Bristol are recruiting patients with newly diagnosed shingles into a new study, to see if they can prevent the long-term pain which commonly persists after the rash has healed.
New research project aims to change how people talk about death and grief, thanks to National Lottery funding 26 January 2022 Grief effects everyone but is still very much a taboo subject in the UK. A new research project - Good Grief Connects - led by the University of Bristol aims to change society’s attitude towards grief, death and dying thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.