Loughborough University, in partnership with the Universities of Birmingham, Leicester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham Community Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust, has been awarded £2.2 million from the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research Board to develop a new approach to promoting physical activity in the population called Snacktivity. The programme of research involves five work packages, and this third work package is building on from previous activities.

Recruiting via General Practices in Coventry, Rugby and Warwickshire, starting January 2021; taking expressions of interest now.

Care Companion is a unique online individually tailored resource, designed for informal carers who look after family and friends with long term or life limiting conditions. It has been developed by a team from Warwick Medical School together with a panel of carers to help individuals with caring responsibilities cope with ever-changing physical, emotional and social care needs.

This study aims to explore the experiences and perceptions of older people and where relevant their carers, in using the ‘telephone first’ approach for access to appointments and advice.

We’d be grateful if you could spare five minutes to complete a survey to tell us your views and experiences as a doctor about out-of-office blood pressure monitoring.

You may have seen a previous article about the Practice Pack that contains all the information you need to understand how the Clinical Research Network works with you and your staff and also to promote research generally to patients. The pack contains general research information and patient facing materials.

This is being currently being circulated. If you have not received these materials please contact your local Research Facilitator.

Abstract

Objectives: To understand the experiences of a setting up a community physical activity (PA) support group that promotes the health and wellbeing of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS)

Design: A hermeneutic phenomenological methodology with a subtle realist paradigm

Setting: In person at the University of Birmingham or via Skype.  

Participants: A purposive sample of 6 individuals with MS (5 Female, 1 Male) was included. Eligibility criteria was a) attended previous PA ice breaker event, b) >18 years and c) >3 years since diagnosis

Intervention: Event bringing together individuals to discuss PA for newly diagnosed MS patients. Following this event, they chose to stay in contact and create their own support group.

Main outcome: Demographic details taken include age, gender, time since diagnosis and type of MS. The main outcome measure was a semi-structured interview with various sub-sections. Thematic analysis identified the main concepts and ideas from the interviews, and wider literature was integrated to enhance data reliability.

Results: Four major themes and nine sub themes arose from interviews, centred around individuals establishing a new social identity from group participation and being empowered to change. Group interaction is particularly significant as it occurs in a relaxed context, which is emphasised as a contrast to the clinical and disease focused healthcare environment. There are some barriers to joining, but the group has benefitted all individuals involved.

Conclusions: There is a need for policy and practice providers need to consider the value of peer support for individuals with MS.

As part of a national initiative, we are seeking to employ early career GPs for up to 8 hours/month to link with the CRN primary care teams based at Birmingham, Keele and Warwick universities. If you are interested in applying, please contact Michaela Handley Michaela.handley@nihr.ac.uk for further details, expressions of interest to be received by Friday 15th September 2017.