Pilot Health Research Support Service: Research studies

The pilot HRSS is working with a small number of researchers from the NHS, medicine manufacturers and university research centres, who are carrying out a variety of research studies.

These include both interventional and non-interventional studies, and details of all of the research studies working with the pilot HRSS can be found below.

“Monitoring Hepatitis C related care in the NHS” – Health Protection Agency
Non-interventional study

This study aims to understand how many of the estimated number of people with Hepatitis C in England are being diagnosed, referred, and treated, and at which centres these services are being offered. The study will attempt to identify gaps in service provision and highlight areas for improvement.

“Assessing the rates of gynaecological complications following Chlamydia diagnoses in young women in primary care; a longitudinal analysis of risks over time (1995-2008) after CT-diagnosis and after two control diagnoses” – Health Protection Agency
Non-interventional study

The aim of this study is to understand if increasing Chlamydia testing and diagnoses by GPs has reduced the risk of gynaecological complications caused by this infection. The study will also look at how often complications (such as ectopic pregnancy) that are diagnosed in hospital are recorded in GP records.

“Using linked primary and secondary care datasets to monitor drug safety in pregnancy” – GlaxoSmithKline
Non-interventional study

This study will combine routinely collected data from GPs and secondary care from a number of datasets that have not previously been linked, to see if they can aid the monitoring of drug safety in pregnancy.

“The impact of mental disorder on cancer stage at presentation, survival and place of death” - Kings College London
Non-interventional study

This study, carried out by Kings College London, will examine how mental disorders in patients can impact upon the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, to understand if there is any delay in cancer diagnosis and the impact it can have on a patient’s survival.  The results from this study aim to influence patient care in both oncology and psychiatry and may impact policies that seek to identify and decrease inequalities in cancer incidence, outcome and choice in end of life care.

“Investigation of migratory patterns between birth and early infancy in England to inform environmental exposure assessment” – Imperial College London
Non-interventional study

This investigation aims to inform environmental studies looking at the health impact of where people live in early childhood – for example, health effects of living near a mobile phone mast or a major road – where the place of residence will affect exposure levels.  It will also examine whether children living in a deprived area or those who develop cancer or die in childhood are more or less likely to have moved in the first few years of life, and the pattern of such migration. The results of this study will enhance a number of studies looking at the impact of the environment on birth outcomes and illness in early childhood.

“Monitor post colonoscopy complications from Bowel Cancer Screening Programme” – Oxford University, NHS Cancer Screening Programmes and National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN)
Non-interventional study 

This study aims to investigate the most serious negative effects of colonoscopy (a medical procedure where a small camera is used to look at the bowel) on those taking part in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. The study will be carried out by Oxford University Cancer Screening Research Unit in partnership with the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes and NCIN and is essential for understanding any potential risks of the NHS screening programme. The Programme invites over 2 million people per year for screening. 

“Measuring quality and driving change in renal services using routinely collected data” – UK Renal Registry
Non-interventional study

The UK Renal Registry (which routinely gathers NHS information on renal replacement therapy to inform patients, clinicians and commissioners) is currently working with the pilot HRSS to explore the benefits of linking this data to other NHS data to improve the feedback and practice within the NHS. 
 

“ASCEND (A Study of Cardiovascular Events in Diabetes)” – University of Oxford Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU)
Interventional study  

The ASCEND study will use data to identify, recruit and track appropriate patients into the trial. The trial will then assess the effects of aspirin and omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the prevention of heart attacks in patients with diabetes.  This study is being carried out by University of Oxford CTSU. 
 

“SHARP (Study of Heart and Renal Protection)” - University of Oxford Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU)
Interventional study 

The SHARP study, carried out by University of Oxford CTSU, is the largest randomized controlled trial ever conducted among patients with chronic kidney disease.  The study is assessing the impact of lowering cholesterol on the risk of major vascular events (e.g. strokes and heart attacks), mortality, cancer and the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation.
 

“The standard care versus Celecoxib Outcome Trial (SCOT): A large streamlined safety study” – MEMO/Hypertension Research, University of Dundee
Interventional study 

This study is designed to compare the overall safety balance of newer versus traditional drugs prescribed for the treatment of arthritis. This study will compare the cardiovascular safety of Celecoxib medication against the traditional non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy.
 

 “RETRO-PRO: The effectiveness of simvastatin compared to atorvastatin: an e-clinical randomised trial within a research database in routine clinical practice – a feasibility study” – General Practice Research database
Interventional study 

This study aims to use data collected from GPs to understand whether some types of Statins used for the treatment of heart disease are better than others. The overall aim of the study is to enable GPs to make a more informed decision over which type of Statin is best for patient care.
 

“Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot randomised trial within the General Practice Research Database” – General Practice Research database
Interventional study 

This study will aim to measure the effectiveness of antibiotics to treat chronic lung disease by carrying out a randomised trial. Some patients will be given antibiotics and some given usual care. The results of the trial will be monitored through data from GPs.

The research studies will request and use a range of data sources for their studies, details of which can be found on the data source page, click here to view