An innovative partnership on the rise: Northumbria Primary Care and AGE

The AGE Research Group were delighted to host the Northumbria Primary Care (NPC) research team for a visit on the 13^th June 2024. Our groups have worked together for many years to recruit research participants from the local community, building a strong working relationship and demonstrating the value of research partnerships across sectors.

Led by Dr Justine Norman (Clinical Director of Quality and Research), the NPC Research Team visit was an opportunity to reflect on past successes, introduce new team members, and discuss the many and varied opportunities for future partnership working. Joining Dr Norman were Mandy Cuthbert (Research Care Coordinator) and Samantha Hamilton (Research Nurse). After a productive and positive meeting our guests enjoyed a tour of the facilities including the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Ageing Research Unit, followed by a networking lunch.

Since 2016 this partnership has provided the main source of recruitment to our flagship MASS_Lifecourse study and the more recent Acipimox trial. After a recent period of growth, NPC now represents around 134,000 patients from 12 GP practices over 20 sites in North Tyneside and Northumberland, including some Deep End practices (those where half or more of their total practice population are living within the 15% most deprived neighbourhoods). Thanks to our already close working relationship, this growth opens exciting opportunities for us to develop flexible and inclusive recruitment strategies, ensure representative recruitment and equality of access, and extend our Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) activity further into the community.

For the community residents in these regions, this means increased opportunities to contribute to research which ultimately aims to improve the healthcare that they and their families will receive, either from their local GP or in a hospital setting.

Last modified: Fri, 21 Jun 2024 11:46:01 BST