St Johns Medical Centre is a ‘Research Active Practice’
St Johns have made a huge contribution to research in the last 12 months, recruiting hundred of patients to a major allergy study and accounting for almost a fifth of all primary care recruitment in Greater Manchester. St Johns were the winner in the category of “Primary Care or Community Research Contribution” award presented at the Greater Manchester Health Care and Research Awards event.
We work with the NHS National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to promote research and offer our patients the opportunity to take part in ethically approved research studies.Research has always been at the heart of the NHS, through research we are able to continually improve treatments and discover the best ways to prevent, diagnose and manage illnesses and form the best care. It also helps us understand how best to focus NHS resources where they will be most effective.The research for the practice is led by Dr Lorna McCune. We only take part in research that would be of benefit to our patients an in collaboration with trusted research groups. Your health is our priority.
As a research practice, we are part of studies that involve anonymised data being shared, this data is used to inform the Department of Health regarding, for example, flu epidemics, prescribing information etc. This helps us constantly monitor the quality of our work and keep up to date.
You may at times be offered the opportunity to be involved in research studies which St Johns have agreed to support. The practice’s level of involvement may range from simply having identified a suitable group of people from our database for an external researcher, being asked to complete questionnaires or survey, through to being a research site recruiting to a Clinical Trial of a new medication or treatment.
All clinical research is approved by ethical committees, thus ensuring it is appropriate and safe to perform.
Your participation in research is entirely voluntary, you can with draw at any time without having to give an explanation. Your care and your relationship with your doctor will not be affected in any way if you decide not to take part in a research study.
Current research St Johns Medical Centre are involved with include the following trials:
OPTIMISE2 Trial
This trial hopes to establish whether deprescribing common drugs that lower blood pressure is safe or effective in older people in the longer term.
More information can be found here: https://www.phctrials.ox.ac.uk/recruiting-trials/optimise-2
TakeATest-UK: Respiratory Symptoms - Virology Testing Service
We are now live with a self-swabbing service, enabling our patients to test at home for the following viruses:
- Flu
- Covid
- RSV
Patient eligibility:
- The service is open to all ages
- You must be able to provide a self-swab within 7 days of symptom onset
- Eligible symptoms include sore throat, runny nose, and shortness of breath
- You do not need a GP appointment to access this service
How to access the service:
- Please visit TakeATestUK – Clear. Discrete. Convenient.
- You will need to enter a voucher code to obtain a test kit - Our voucher code: P91604
- Results are sent directly via SMS (positive or negative)
- You should only contact the practice about your results if you are struggling with your symptoms
Results & timescales
- Swabs are sent to Bristol for testing
- Results are usually available within 1 week
- The practice will also receive an email copy of all results – these will be filed for information
For further information please see links below:
UK Health Security Agency: respiratory virus surveillance 2025-26 season – TakeATestUK
ANTLER 75+
Antidepressants to prevent relapse in depression in older people, aged 75 years and over.
We are looking for individuals:
- Aged 75 years or over
- Are currently taking one of the following antidepressants for depression: Citalopram (20 mg), Mirtazapine (30 mg) or Sertraline (50 mg)
- Are well enough to consider stopping their antidepressant
If you think you could be eligible and would like to take part, please talk to your doctor who can give you an information sheet and invitation letter.
EXTOD - Active
Is Sitting Down Too Much Affecting Your Glucose Management?
Who can take part in this study?
- Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (for at least 3 years)
- Aged 18-66
- Spend most of your day sitting down
- Don’t exercise regularly
Digital – My Arm Pain Programme (D-MAPP)
Do you suffer with hand or arm pain which affects your everyday life?
Would you like to take part in a trial which may give you the opportunity to use an app to help manage your symptoms?
If you are over 18 and interested, please get in touch
Visit: ctru.leeds.ac.uk/dmapp
Email: [email protected]
Download an information sheet for further information.
Ideal Backpacs Study
Have you attended a clinic today due to backpain? Has the pain lasted 3 or more months?
You may be able to be part of the Ideal-Backpacs Study to help us treat back pain better. Please ask your GP for further information.
STARFISH
Urgent treatment is needed for some causes of sudden hearing loss.
Treatment could help to restore your hearing
If you think your hearing has suddenly dropped, arrange to see your GP.
The UK-wide STARFISH trial is looking at the best treatment for sudden hearing loss and you may be able to join
Visit: www.ENTintegrate.co.uk/starfish
Download an information poster.
CANHEAR
Volunteers Needed for Cancer and Hearing Loss Research
What is the study about?
We are investigating how platinum-based chemotherapy drugs may cause hearing loss.
Hearing loss can contribute to:
- Worse brain function
- Social withdrawal
- Increased dementia risk
Why is this important?
- Hearing loss is not routinely screened for after chemotherapy
- Your participation could inform future screening and support services
Who can take part?
- Patients set to receive platinum-based chemotherapy
- 18 years old +
- Willing to take part in online hearing and brain tests
What is involved?
- Three online hearing and brain tests during chemotherapy treatment
- Questionnaires about your health and lifestyle
Contact Ewan Dean; [email protected] for more information.
CORAL
The CORAL study aims to find out whether taking CoQ10 for 12 months can improve quality of life in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure.
Who can participate?
Patients aged 18 years or over who have heart failure that impacts their daily lives.
Further information here: https://coral-study.bristol.ac.uk/
Download the CORAL GP Poster pdf
RESTORE - Stroke study
The ReSTORe research study would like to find out if online rehabilitation can help people recover after a stroke.
To find out more, visit our website, scan the QR code, or call us on 02476 575767.
Download an information poster to find out more.
DaRe2Think project
DaRe2Think is a transformational project which tests a new way of running clinical trials in General Practice in the NHS. Find out more here –
DaRe2THINK will test if a newer class of blood thinning tablets widely used in the NHS are cost-effective in younger patients with AF and can reduce the devastating impact of stroke and other blood clots.
Are you a parent or carer of a child aged 6-12 years?
Does your child have a diagnosis of #ADHD and are they experiencing sleep problems?
The University Hospital of Southampton and Southampton Clinical Trials Unit are running a study. The study aims to test whether a new website Sleep Buddy, which has been designed by medics and psychologists, improves sleep problems in children aged 6-12 years with an ADHD diagnosis.
You can take part if:
- Your child is aged 6-12 years.
- Your child has a diagnosis of ADHD (including ADD).
- You have noticed that your child is experiencing problems falling asleep.
Visit the study website or register your interest by following this link - https://www.trial deck.com/trial/sleepbuddy?reg_co de=VB01c55wWL
As seen on BBC South Today, November 2025:https://youtu.be/MsYYhwrsxAM
ASYMPTOMATIC
This study aims to find out whether taking a preventer inhaler only when a child, with mild asthma, has symptoms is as effective as taking it every day.
Visit their website for more information here: https://asymptomatic-trial.org.uk/
TIGER
The new study, ‘Trial of food allergy (IgE) tests for Eczema Relief (TIGER)’, led by Professor Matthew Ridd from the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, will start recruiting participants in January 2023.
For more information -
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare/researchthemes/tiger/
Help the NHS Help BEAT Coronavirus
Most people infected by COVID-19 feel the effects for about two weeks, but others experience lingering health problems – known as long Covid. Many people still have symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue and brain fog many weeks later.
Now Salford Royal respiratory consultant Professor Nawar Bakerly, who is leading long COVID research in Greater Manchester, is encouraging people to join a new campaign, Help BEAT Coronavirus.
The campaign will help the NHS understand long COVID and other ongoing issues caused by the pandemic.
Professor Bakerly said: “People who get involved in health research tend to have better health outcomes, as they become better at managing their own health. Joining the research community is good for you and good for others.”
Registering with the ‘Help BEAT Coronavirus’ campaign means you will receive information about research opportunities along with details of how to take part. There are lots of different types of research you can take part in, including answering questionnaires, joining discussion groups, testing equipment, or taking part in trials to find new treatments.
Find out more at www.researchforthefuture.org/coronavirus
Do you have an opinion on how patients should access appointments in general practice?
Participants required
We are conducting a study aimed at understanding how we can best balance quick access to general practice appointments and continuity of care (seeing the same doctor or nurse).
We are looking for adult volunteers to take part in a 1-to-2-hour group discussion. During these groups 6-10 patients will discuss with a researcher what they think about the government’s proposals to change access to general practice. These groups will take place either online or face-to-face at a number of different times and dates (including some evenings). The aim of the research is to understand patient opinions, we will then provide feedback to NHS organisations planning to make changes to general practice. Participants will receive financial compensation for participating.
If you are interested please contact the research team:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: 01613066168
Farsite
We are currently signed up to FARSITE, which provides a safe, convenient, and effective way for GP practices to control the recruitment of their patients into clinical research, whilst allowing NHS-based researchers to run complex and powerful searches over population level health record data. All data is anonymous.
For more details contact: https://nweh.co.uk/who-we-are/contact-us
Oxford - Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre
The Oxford-RCGP RSC stands for the University of Oxford - Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and
Surveillance Centre (RSC).
The Oxford-RCGP RSC is a University of Oxford based group that oversees a network of general practices who share their infectious diseases data. Sharing this data plays an important role in public health monitoring and response to infectious diseases. The data may also be used for health research.
Our practice is part of the Oxford-RCGP RSC network.
Download the Patient Information Leaflet for more info on data protection.
Clinical Research Practice Datalink (CPRD)
Information in patient records is important for medical research to develop new treatments and test the safety of medicines. This practice supports medical research by sending some of the information from patient records to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD).
CPRD is a government organisation that provides anonymised patient data for research to improve public health. You cannot be identified from the information sent to CPRD. You can find out more on the CPRD website by clicking here
If you do not want anonymised information from your patient record to be used in research, you can opt out by speaking to your doctor.
Practice Research Privacy Notice Statement – Supporting Research Activity
The practice uses uMedeor Ltd (uMed) as a data processor to support research activity. This includes accessing, and secure hosting of health record data for the purpose of identifying patients that are eligible for specific research projects. uMed also contacts those patients on behalf of the practice via SMS, letter, email or telephone to provide more information about the study, and to collect additional information to assess your eligibility for a certain study. Your consent will be required before any practice data is shared externally with researchers. uMed applies the national opt-out to practice data it receives so if you wish your data is not processed for research you can do so by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/
For further information on uMed please visit their website at www.umed.io or email [email protected]
This Practice contributes to Optimum Patient Care Research Database (OPCRD)
Privacy Notice Statements
https://cprd.com/data-protection-and-processing-notice
How can the public opt out?
The public can change their national data opt-out choice via www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters or by calling the NHS Digital Contact Centre on 0300 303 5678.
You can visit the National Institute for Health Research website to find out more information about research in primary care, and learn more about participating.
There is also information about research for patients on NHS website
Read how about research and general use of patient information on the Health Research Authority website
Read about other people’s experiences taking part in research on the NIHR website Here
National campaigns include www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk
Sign up to receive information about research studies you may be interested in joining Research or the Future. To find out more, visit Researchforthefuture.org
