Research practice

This practice is pleased to announce that we are now in our third year as a research active practice linked to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network. We have been accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as a Research Ready practice.

We work in close collaboration with a team of GPs, research nurses and facilitators based at the University of Birmingham. If a patient is eligible to join a research study running in our practice, a GP or other healthcare professional will provide written information. Taking part in a research study is voluntary and can be beneficial to patients who participate in them. Examples of research projects include:

  • Investigating respiratory infections
  • Management of heart failure
  • How to increase physical activity
  • Finding out whether low dose aspirin helps people with Type 2 diabetes
  • Ways to help people stop smoking
  • The use of self-monitoring of blood pressure
  • Investigating timing of taking blood pressure medication

If you would like to know more about research taking place locally, visit:

Current studies

As of 24/08/2023 these are our current studies:

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of dexpramipexole administered orally for 24 weeks in participants with eosinophilic asthma (EXHALE-4)
  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of dexpramipexole administered orally for 52 weeks in participants with severe eosinophilic asthma (EXHALE-2)
  • Eat well, feel well, stay well (the STREAM Trial)
  • Evaluation of an aid to diagnosis for congenital dysplasia of the hip in general practice: controlled trial randomised by practice
  • Exploring the acceptability and feasibility of early surveillance for autoimmune diabetes
  • OPTIMising therapies, disease trajectories, and AI assisted clinical management for patients Living with complex multimorbidity (OPTIMAL study)
  • Preventing stroke, premature death and cognitive decline in a broader community of patients with atrial fibrillation using healthcare data for pragmatic research: A randomised controlled trial
  • The ELSA Study: EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes
  • Therapies for Long COVID in non-hospitalised individuals: From symptoms, patient reported outcomes and immunology to targeted therapies (The TLC Study)
  • What is the clinical and cost effectiveness of using a goal-directed allopurinol-based treat-to-target protocol in people with recurrent gout flares? Protocol for a randomised controlled trial and internal pilot study