Blog

GP or A&E - where do patients go when unwell and how can we better inform their choices?

15 August 2019

Some people go to A&E and staff wonder why they’ve come because it’s obvious to them that it’s not an emergency and the person doesn’t need to be there. Staff wonder why people didn’t just go to their GP instead. Meanwhile, patients worry about wasting the time of health services. They wonder how serious their problem is and whether they should bother any doctor with it. The problem does not go away and they get more and more worried so they go to A&E to get it sorted out as quickly as possible.

Researcher at computer applying for NIHR funding

Increasing diversity in design to accelerate research into practice

09 August 2019

The hallmark of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research is supporting interrelated research projects that develop and test complex interventions. But Programme Director Elaine Hay wants to encourage more varied and novel research designs.

Biomarker testing for COPD flare-ups: Picking up the pace in the battle against antimicrobial resistance?

11 July 2019

Nick Francis and Chris Butler write about their NIHR research revealing that a finger-prick blood test at GP surgery could safely reduce antibiotic use in patients with COPD

Alistair Ager - Health systems research in fragile settings blog

Health in Situations of Fragility: A Systems for Health Approach

05 July 2019

Alastair Ager writes about how NIHR researchers are exploring how political, societal and environmental instability impact on health care provision in countries.

Rethinking your CPD: Do you MOOC?

27 June 2019

Take a ‘pick-n-mix’ approach to learning with a Massive Open Online Course. Part of the Rethinking your Continuing Professional Development series

Peer Review: Can we do it better?

17 June 2019

Amanda Blatch-Jones explains how the NIHR's Reaearch on Research (RoR) team is working on a series of innovative research projects to address the challenges of peer review in research.

Involving the public in complex questions around artificial intelligence research

14 June 2019

Niels Peek and Lisa Riste describe two events run by the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre that explored the trade-off between AI transparency and AI performance in decisions that affect people’s lives.

The one where friends help to keep each other active

07 June 2019

Dr Simon Sebire highlights NIHR-funded study inspiring teenage girls’ to partake in exercise and promote it amongst their peers.

Breathing second-hand smoke at work – finally a thing of the past for prison staff in Scotland

31 May 2019

Sean Semple and Kate Hunt highlight their NIHR-funded research evaluating the impacts of the implementation of smoke free prison facilities in Scotland. Their blog marks World No Tobacco Day.

Clinicians working for life science companies can connect with patients through the NIHR Patient Engagement in Clinical Development service.

Developing a blueprint for patient engagement

29 May 2019

Sophie Evett, Feasibility lead for Pfizer, highlights three observations while reflecting on her involvement in the NIHR’s Patient Engagement in Clinical Development pilot project.

How the NIHR is continuously improving research practice

28 May 2019

Simon Denegri highlights how record numbers of people have taken part in health and social care research last year to develop life-saving treatments and improve patient care. His blog is part of our Be Part of Research campaign.

Researchers need to ensure that the ‘ask’ of the research is balanced with the burden of the disease.

The balancing act: How patient engagement can improve recruitment and retention

22 May 2019

Balancing the ‘ask’ of research with the burden of disease is essential to achieve good recruitment and retention in clinical research studies. Dr William van’t Hoff explains how the NIHR is connecting life science companies with patients who are helping to get it right first time.

Rethinking your CPD: Ignorance Management

21 May 2019

Why do incompetent people think they're amazing? Knowing what we don’t know is vital to uncovering our blind spots and our learning. Part of the Rethinking your Continuing Professional Development series

Dementia Action Week 2019: Taking the next step together

21 May 2019

We are fast approaching five years since the publication of the Dementia 2020 Challenge, which set the ambition to make England the best country in the world for dementia care, support, research and awareness. Reading the Dementia 2020 challenge: Phase 1 progress review, it is remarkable to see the progress made to date.

How we used research to break down barriers and increase understanding

20 May 2019

Dr Fiona Fox describes how she worked with public co-researchers to increase understanding of autism in Somali communities.

Does how we detect the spread of cancer need to change?

16 May 2019

Stuart Taylor explains how the NIHR funded Streamline trials provide new evidence in detecting lung and colorectal cancer: Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a life changing event and generates many questions at a time of immense personal stress. Two very common questions patients immediately ask their doctor are “has my cancer spread” and “what is the best treatment for me and when do I start?”