Five tips from project to support people with dementia and carers in COVID-19 lockdown

New guidance has been developed as part of a major project to support people with dementia and family carers who are facing isolation and reduced services as a result of COVID-19.

A new leaflet features five simple tips, developed using the latest robust research and with the input of people affected by dementia. The leaflet is part-funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in a project led by the University of Exeter and the NIHR Older People and Frailty Policy Research Unit, with partners including...

A collaboration between researchers has resulted in a clearer understanding of how to address the research needs of young people with long term health conditions. Long term conditions can affect multiple aspects of health, impacting both physically and mentally. This can lead to potentially conflicting treatment recommendations and frequent interaction with clinicians and services.

Now a report, produced through patient and public involvement activities with young people and their carers, has helped to identify which issues are important when experiencing complex care needs or multiple long term conditions.

PenARC worked together with the Peninsula Childhood Disability research unit (PenCRU) and the NIHR...

Our PhD studentships are linked to PenARC project and priority areas and are an important area of capacity development to ensure the continued availability of research staff in the longer term. Students undertake research projects while being offered the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from our experienced researchers. As PenARC sets sail on its new five year research cycle we welcome aboard a new cohort of PhD students.

The new studentships reach across our research themes;

Sara Eddy’s research is investigating the implementation of an integrated psychological medicine service in Devon to provide both...

A pioneering collaboration between PenARC and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) has led to the establishment of a new post at UHP using operational research to support the Trust’s decision-making processes – the first of its kind in the South West.

Operational Research (OR) uses innovative modelling techniques and data science to help healthcare providers like UHP predict how changes to services will affect patients and staff. Using modelling to simulate real-life situations can help decision-makers see how services might be improved.

In the newly-created role of Principal Information Analyst, Simon Philpott will hold responsibility for the strategic direction of modelling...

(L to R: Tanya Hynd, Dr Kristin Liabo, Professor Nicky Britten, Kate Boddy, Dr Emma Cockroft)

As January drew to a close our Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) team were in celebratory mood as they, together with PenARC’s Patient Involvement Group (PenPIG), invited patients, carers, members of the public and researchers to come together to look back over ten years of working together and to talk about their hopes for involvement as PenARC begins a new, five year research cycle.

Before attendees could pin a wish on the Tree of Involvement, help to build a Lego Ark from the colourful pile of...

PenARC are celebrating the news that a number of our people and projects have been shortlisted in the South West Research Awards 2020. The awards, a new, region-wide initiative by the NIHR Clinical Research Network South West Peninsula, celebrate innovation and excellence and the achievements of outstanding individuals and teams involved in health and social care research across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

PenARC’s Patient and Public Involvement Team have been shortlisted for a Public Engagement Award to recognise excellence in promoting the interests of patients and public in research delivery. Our Parent-to-Parent Support Interventions for Parents of Babies Cared for in...

(Photo shows: Dr Rebecca Abbot, Dr Noreen Orr, Alison Bethel, Morwenna Rogers, Prof Jo Thompson-Coon, Harriet Hunt, Rebecca Whear)

The close of 2019 saw a very special anniversary – ten years of evidence synthesis at PenARC. Evidence synthesis is a way of bringing together and summarising all of the research on a particular topic or question. Our Evidence Synthesis Team work closely with those who will eventually use their findings to help inform evidence-based practice and develop capacity in this skilled area across the south west.

We decided to celebrate the team’s birthday with a special feature to find out who they are,...

Following on from the success of previous training programmes, our operational research team, PenCHORD, are launching the first ever Police Service Modelling Associates Programme (PSMA). The scheme, which launches on January 28th, will see associates, recruited from Devon & Cornwall Police staff, the College of Policing and other regional forces, receive mentoring and training to support them to undertake projects which will lead to real impact and embed evidence-based decision making and operational research skills within the service.

The 9 month PSMA programme, which is primarily a mentoring programme, will continue the same structure of the enormously successful Health Services Modelling Associates Programme...

A healthcare researcher has secured a prestigious Post-Doctoral fellowship after a highly competitive selection process. The award, of £200,000, will fund and support a three-year project to help improve decision-making in health and social care in the South West before being rolled out nationally.

Dr Sean Manzi, a healthcare researcher from the University of Exeter, was granted the funding from The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute. Through the fellowship programme, THIS Institute is boosting research activity to provide more clarity on what works in improving healthcare, what doesn’t, and why. 

Dr Manzi, who works with PenCHORD, the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South...

PenARC are pleased to invite, in partnership with The University of Exeter’s College of Medicine and Health, applications for a fully-funded PhD studentship. The studentship will be based in the Health Statistics Group in the College of Medicine and Health at the St Luke’s Campus in Exeter. The PhD is on statistical aspects of the design, conduct and data analysis of cluster randomised controlled trials in health research.

Cluster randomised trials are studies in which clusters of individuals are allocated to the trial arms and outcomes are measured on participants associated with those clusters. The clusters may be areas (e.g. villages), organisations...