I am in international mood today. From the United States to Australia. Unfortunately not via Hawaii. This was sent to me this morning and it's basically a report of a paper appearing in the Journal of Internet Medical Research about the viability of using social media in medical research. Interesting snapshot discussion around the pitfalls - i.e. … Continue reading Social media and medical research, a story from Oz
medical research
The duty falls on all of us to issue that wake-up call to the NHS about its research mission
Last week, medical research charities among others hailed a series of Government amendments made to the Health and Social Care Bill. These place 'a strong duty across the Secretary of State, the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups to promote research and the use of research evidence.' The amendments are in response to persistent lobbying; their … Continue reading The duty falls on all of us to issue that wake-up call to the NHS about its research mission
Scottish independence and what it could mean for science
So last week I pondered vacuously on the question of what Scottish independence might mean for science. Research Fortnight today have an interview with Scotland's new Minister for Science, Alasdair Allan, which begins to address the issue.
Research impact: One small tweak for HEFCE, one important nod to public involvement
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) yesterday issued the final criteria and working methods for its Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessment exercise. The research press is still full of various academic voices continuing to rant against the whole issue of HEFCE assessing 'research impact' for the first time. Seems to be a waste … Continue reading Research impact: One small tweak for HEFCE, one important nod to public involvement
Ill-informed consent: EU meeting lays into clinical trials small print for patients
Image by erjkprunczyk via FlickrDaniel Cressey at Nature has written this report from last week's meeting of the European Forum for Good Clinical Practice which took place in Brussels. The basic thrust of the discussion at the meeting was that information given to patients prior to them signing up for a clinical trial: is often vague, too long, … Continue reading Ill-informed consent: EU meeting lays into clinical trials small print for patients
That article about patient questionnaires: the NHS ain’t no Argos
This article in The Guardian about how the NHS has much to learn from the retail sector in the way it designs and uses patient questionnaires has prompted a lot of angry comment. To be fair, it makes one or two good points. These include the fact that we are too slow in incorporating patient … Continue reading That article about patient questionnaires: the NHS ain’t no Argos
I’ve got a pile of irony to do tonight – from Scottish independence to NHS reform
On my train journey from Edinburgh this morning, I listened to a BBC Radio Scotland phone-in about the implications of Scottish independence. The intricacies of a possible de-coupling from the UK are fascinating - from the economy to people's pensions, to the NHS. I've yet to read an article written specifically about the pros and cons … Continue reading I’ve got a pile of irony to do tonight – from Scottish independence to NHS reform
Share your experience of public involvement in research: INVOLVE 2012 Conference call for presentations
Doing this remotely so apologies if this doesn't work/come out very well: INVOLVE 2012: Putting people first in research Conference call for presentations is now open Our eighth biennial INVOLVE conference will take place on 13th and 14th November 2012 at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. The conference will bring together members of the public, service users, researchers, research … Continue reading Share your experience of public involvement in research: INVOLVE 2012 Conference call for presentations
Cancer patients seeking information about their condition want to know about clinical trials, study shows.
This is a fascination study published by the open access journal ecancermedicalscience. I think it was actually published in November but only came to my attention via Twitter yesterday. It looks at the needs of cancer patients and organisations across Europe when it comes to online information. The results are based on a pan-European survey and questionnaire … Continue reading Cancer patients seeking information about their condition want to know about clinical trials, study shows.
UK clinical trials units go up for review and registration
One of the many good things to come out of the establishment of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) in the early noughties, is the registration of UK clinical trials units and the bringing together of these units into a network. Registration, which takes the form of an application and then review by an independent international panel … Continue reading UK clinical trials units go up for review and registration
Charities wade in on Leveson and media reporting of science
The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) together with Cancer Research UK and Wellcome Trust have this afternoon published their response to the Leveson inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press. See first item listed under 2012 on this page at the AMRC website. The submission makes good points and I learnt … Continue reading Charities wade in on Leveson and media reporting of science
Neurological Alliance issues wake-up call to Government and NHS over neurology services
The Neurological Alliance which represents over 70 charities in the field has wheeled out its big guns today to highlight the lack of preparedness across the NHS to meet the needs of increasing numbers of people with neurological conditions. It really is wheeling out its big guns such as Steve Ford at Parkinson's UK and … Continue reading Neurological Alliance issues wake-up call to Government and NHS over neurology services
[The definite article] and why it stands in the way of a definitive plan for UK science
****you might also like to read William Cullerne Bown's analysis of the Science Minister's speech referred to in this blog and which appeared on the same day as that below*** Yesterday the Royal Society posted on its website the full text of Lord Rees' Christmas Lecture to the Science and Policy Research Centre. Its worth a … Continue reading [The definite article] and why it stands in the way of a definitive plan for UK science
Obama echoes Nixon’s ‘war on cancer’ with pledge to Alzheimer’s families
This piece from Forbes Magazine is worth reading as a critique of the Obama Presidential Advisory Group draft framework on Alzheimer's published this week. The Group have set a goal of effectively treating and preventing Alzheimer's by 2025. Obama and Nixon would make strange bedfellows. But the last paragraph of the article is perhaps the most salient in pointing … Continue reading Obama echoes Nixon’s ‘war on cancer’ with pledge to Alzheimer’s families
Article by Cancer Research UK Chief Executive, Harpal Kumar
publicservice.co.uk is running a piece today by Cancer Research UK's Chief Executive, Harpal Kumar. I thought his second bullet point under policy priorities re: enabling patient groups to contribute to health challenges quite interesting. It would be good to understand a bit more what he means by this. Cancer Research UK is more research funder … Continue reading Article by Cancer Research UK Chief Executive, Harpal Kumar
Entitled to a title? Should we better recognise members of the public and patients involved in research?
Various reports today about the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley MP's, statement in response to a question today in the Commons that he is working to introduce an 'effective compliance regime' to ensure local NHS organisations implement NICE recommendations. Those with children will no doubt empathise. I'm not sure that as a statement … Continue reading Entitled to a title? Should we better recognise members of the public and patients involved in research?
NHS Future Forum talks sense on patients and medical records: i.e. we need a plan!
Much will be written about the NHS Future Forum's report out today. And a lot of it will be preoccupied with its recommendation that health professionals should proactively give patients all-round health advice. Personally, I think it a good idea although you'd have thought the Forum has advocated 'in your face healthcare' judging by some of … Continue reading NHS Future Forum talks sense on patients and medical records: i.e. we need a plan!
Research is for life: making research part and parcel of the patient journey
I was very privileged to be asked to give the Furlong Christmas Lecture a few weeks ago. I hope this doesn't seem egotistical but here's the text of that lecture amended with useful links etc - it touches on and rehearses themes that will be familiar to those of you who have visited the blog … Continue reading Research is for life: making research part and parcel of the patient journey
New funding to support adoption of medical technologies in the NHS
NIHR's Invention for Innovation (I4I) has this week announced a new £15million Challenge Awards Programme to support the adoption of innovative medical technologies in the NHS. More details here.
Medical records and health research: one good right deserves another
It will be the single most important and transformative development in medical research this year. It will change the relationship that patients have with their health service and fundamentally re-draw the relationship between the NHS and its partners including our healthcare industries. It's impact on the culture of the NHS and the way it is … Continue reading Medical records and health research: one good right deserves another
simondenegri.com 