Primary care latest updates

The National Institute for Health and Care (NIHR) Research "Be Part of Research campaign" runs from 3^rd until 9^th June. To mark this week we’re raising awareness about the difference research can make to the health, care and wellbeing of local people across Northamptonshire.

Clinical research is a cornerstone of modern medicine and healthcare, driving innovation and improvements in patient outcomes. Within the NHS, the significance of clinical research cannot be overstated, it is beneficial to patients, healthcare professionals, and the system as a whole.

This spotlight article from Dr Andre Krzeminski, a Northamptonshire GP and researcher, outlines how he integrates research into General Practice.

He said: "As a clinician, researcher, and former Biomedical science graduate, my journey into medicine has been deeply intertwined with my passion for scientific inquiry. For nearly a decade, I've had the privilege of conducting clinical research at Albany House Medical Centre in Wellingborough, seamlessly blending my love for science with patient care.

"My research journey began at Sheffield University, where I immersed myself in the world of science while working on the Human Genome Project. Despite the intellectual stimulation of wet-lab experiments and running electrophoresis samples, I realised that I craved something vital which was missing—the human connection. This realisation steered me towards a career in medicine, where I could combine my scientific expertise with direct patient interaction.

"Upon qualifying as a General Practitioner, I found myself at Albany House Medical Centre, where I now lead the Research and Development department alongside my clinical duties. Over the years, our department has achieved significant milestones, including being the first to enrol patients globally in various research studies. Additionally, we've been honoured with awards by our local Clinical Research Network (CRN), recognising our contributions to medical research.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is witnessing the tangible impact of our research on patient care. Whether it's directly through exploring new therapies for diseases or, or indirectly from the interactions and rapport built with patients, the benefits are profound.

"Research not only improves individual patient outcomes but also contributes positively to broader public health initiatives, such as the successful vaccination campaigns witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As the landscape of healthcare continues to evolve, with an increased emphasis on continuity of care, research must play a vital role in shaping the future of our General Practice plans. To enable us stay at the forefront of medical advancements, and to ensure that patients receive the best possible care, healthcare providers must embrace and prioritise research within our practice frameworks.

"At Albany House Medical Centre, our commitment to innovation and patient-centred care drives us to continually strive for excellence in both clinical practice and research endeavours.

"By embracing research as an integral part of our practice, we can usher in a new era of integrated care, where scientific discovery and compassionate patient care go hand in hand."

To learn more about the research team and initiatives, please visit the Albany House Research website

If you are interested in becoming involved in research, there are several ways health professionals can become involved.

Please contact Onyinye Ndefo, Research Lead, Northamptonshire ICB via onyinye.ndefo@nhs.net for information about potential opportunities.

More information
Northamptonshire ICB Research page

Read Research Appreciation Week…

Please find the Northamptonshire Primary Care Training Hub newsletter for May 2024:

Northamptonshire Primary Care Training Hub Newsletter May 2024

Please cascade this onto any of your colleagues that may find this of interest.

Read Northamptonshire Primary Care Training Hub Newsletter May 2024…

To mark International Nurses Day (12 May) Yvonne Higgins, Chief Nursing Officer and Mandy Staples, Director of Nursing share there thanks to our nursing community. In addition to the video message below Yvonne said ”On International Nurses' Day 2024 we want to say thank you and shine the spotlight on the true value of nursing and recognising the difference we make to people's lives each and every day Nursing is a highly-skilled, safety-critical profession. You are experts. You dedicate yourselves to ensuring you deliver the best possible care to those you care for from the moment they enter the world to the moment they leave it and every stage in between – and for that we want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU”

Watch the thank you video from Yvonne Higgins, Chief Nursing Officer and Mandy Staples, Director of Nursing here.

In addition Chief Nursing Officer for England Dame Ruth May and parkrun UK are encouraging nurses across England to take part in parkrun events this May. Register for your local parkrun event and take part on Saturday 11 May for International Nurses Day. You can walk, jog, run, volunteer or come along to cheer on others as we celebrate and recognise the enormous contribution and commitment of our nursing colleagues across the NHS, health and social care. With more than 1,240 parkrun events taking place across the UK every weekend, parkrun offers a safe and inclusive space for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to be more active and social in the great outdoors. Wear NHS blue or your most colourful fancy dress, and encourage your colleagues, patients, friends and family to come along too.

Visit the parkrun website to find your local event and register for free, on the day, don’t forget to share a photo or video on social media and include the hashtags #IDM2024 or #IND2024, and #teamCMidO or #teamCNO.

Read International Nurses Day 2024…

As you may be aware, one of UKHSA’s responsibilities is collecting numbers of cases of notifiable diseases (including whooping cough, clinically known as pertussis).

UKHSA publish analyses of local and national trends on a regular basis. In the years since monitoring began, they have seen a huge decline in whooping cough cases from peak years exceeding 100,000 cases annually in the 1950s.

Whooping cough is a cyclical disease that regularly peaks every 3 to 5 years. The team are, unfortunately, seeing increasing rates of whooping cough in the first quarter of 2024 and expect these increasing rates to last for several months.

UKHSA are publishing epidemiological data monthly, with the next data publication scheduled for Thursday 9 May 2024. This is expected to further illustrate the rise in case numbers. The data publication will also be accompanied by a UKHSA press release on the day and activity on their social media channels to raise awareness of whooping cough and the vaccine offers, with a particular focus on the maternal vaccine offer.

UKHSA have published a new maternal vaccination stakeholder communications toolkit to support stakeholders to explain and promote the NHS vaccination programme to pregnant women. This currently focusses on the whooping cough vaccine offer and will be updated with information on seasonal vaccine offers in the future.

It contains background information, statistics, key messages, social media assets and copy and links to useful information which help raise awareness of whooping cough, its signs and symptoms and the vaccine offers.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any aspect of this email or the toolkit please email annemarie.senior@ukhsa.gov.uk.

Read Whooping cough: new maternal vaccination stakeholder communications toolkit…

As of the 1 May 2024, West Northamptonshire Council is delighted to announce Gro Health as the new adult tier 2 weight management service.  Please see links below to example flyers for more details and the self-referral link:

• West Northamptonshire Council - Gro Health tier 2 adult weight management service A4 Flyer Portrait 3 [pdf] 2MB
• West Northamptonshire Council - Gro Health tier 2 adult weight management service A4 Flyer Portrait 5 [pdf] 2MB
• West Northamptonshire Council - Gro Health tier 2 adult weight management service A4 Flyer Portrait 6 [pdf] 2MB

Residents can access directly through self-referral, or a referral can be made by health and social care colleagues for a patient.  

To be eligible residents must:

• Be 18 years old or over.
• Be a resident in West Northamptonshire
• Have a BMI of 30 or over, or a BMI of 27.5 or over for adults from black and ethnic minority communities

With Gro Health, adults can get free access to digital or face-to-face support (depending on eligibility), which includes a structured 12-week support programme to help lose weight, improve health and reach their goals. Gro Health will also provide continued support from a dedicated health coach for up to 12 months.

Gro Health’s comprehensive 12-week weight management programme, with additional support for 12 months, offers either digital or in-person services depending on eligibility and is available in up to 22 languages. The programme emphasises an individualised approach to sustainable health changes.

The new programme offers a range of resources and support from; customised educational resources, nutritious recipes, on-demand exercise classes, and both group and individual health coaching. These tools are crafted to help individuals set and achieve personal health goals while fostering long-term healthy habits.

To check eligibility and register, visit Lose weight and take control of your health (grohealth.com), or call 0330 133 0307.

The Ardens page in primary care will also be amended to detail this service on the healthy weight pathway.

If you are interested in hard copies of the publicity material, please contact Deborah.Mbofana@westnorthants.gov.uk.

Please also forward this information on to any relevant colleagues.

Details of this service can still be found on the WNC council website.

Read New West Northamptonshire Council – Gro Health tier 2 adult weight management service…