I started my nursing career on coronary care at UHCW but wanting a broader experience of nursing I soon took up agency nursing and took trips overseas to volunteer in developing countries. After a year of some very rewarding experiences . . . .

My name is Sue Wright and I joined the CRN West Midlands Primary Care team in January. After an initial research career working for the Department of Transport on the design of traffic signs and symbols I moved into the NHS and worked in health promotion in Kidderminster and Wyre Forest. I then moved back into research but this time health related research.

Dietmar: Coventry City Football Legend

Research tells us that men are less likely than women to access NHS services; sometimes this means they may already have advanced cancer symptoms before they visit their GP.

The majority of patients who come to their doctor with lung e.g. cough, or bowel symptoms e.g. loose stool, do not have anything seriously wrong. However, a very few people are at risk of cancer. This study aims to help doctors diagnose cancer quickly so that potential high risk patients are detected sooner and unnecessary examinations are minimised for those patients that are low risk. This research is about finding what symptoms and examinations are best for predicting lung and bowel cancer.

Based on your feedback, we have redesigned the programme for the year ahead. In 2016/17, the Essentials in Primary Care module will run as a Masterclass series. Each one day bespoke event will tackle one of five essential elements of primary care policy and practice.

Strong opioids are increasingly being prescribed for chronic non-malignant pain including expensive transdermal preparations. However there is limited data supporting the effectiveness of long term use, with adverse effects often outweighing the benefits of long term opioid treatment for pain.

Dr Farhana Lockhat
I recently joined the WMS CRN team as GP Research Champion for Warwickshire North CCG. Now a GP principle at Manor Court Surgery in Nuneaton for almost 10 years, prior to moving into general practice, I was a Clinical Research Fellow in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Leicester University for 3 years, and I have first-hand experience of the trials and tribulations of implementing clinical research projects.

Warwick Primary Care is the newly re-forming group of academics here at WMS. Our group has been established to work with you to help improve primary care through education and research.