Research at Empingham Medical Centre

Empingham Medical Centre is working alongside Uppingham Surgery, Oakham Medical Practice and Market Overton & Somerby Surgeries. Any patients who require a spirometry to diagnose asthma, COPD or another respiratory condition, are offered the chance to assist with the development of a new artificial intelligence (AI) software by sharing their spirometry report with the study team. Patient details will be removed to ensure the patient is non identifiable. The study team will use the spirometry report on their AI software to see if it is able to diagnose the patient in the same way a respiratory clinician can.

Those eligible for the study will be introduced to the study when they are offered a diagnostic spirometry appointment at Empingham Medical Centre.

Southampton University have made a new website called ‘Active Brains’ which aims to help adults aged between 60 and 85 years old to look after their brain and body health. The aim is to help prevent problems with things like remembering, concentrating or reasoning (known as cognitive decline). The website will help adults to make simple changes such as getting more active, playing brain training games and finding ways to eat more healthily.

150 patients have been selected at random and will receive a mail pack offering them the chance to participate. 

If you have received your mail pack you can click on this link to enter the Active Brains Study.

Loneliness and social isolation can affect people of all ages and from all walks of life. The Measuring Loneliness (INTERACT) study aims to map loneliness at borough and city level to highlight the scale of the issue and help decision makers consider new ways to support individuals who are lonely, feeling socially isolated and who may be suffering in silence. The study is the first of its kind and aims to collect data from thousands of community dwelling individuals aged 16 years or over to produce a visual snapshot of social isolation and loneliness across the capital, and other parts of the UK.

Any patient from ANY RUTLAND PRACTICE OR LIVES in Rutland can complete the survey. The study is based on your postcode and not which GP surgery you are registered at.

Please click on the link below for more information or to complete the survey!

• Website: Measuring loneliness in UK (INTERACT) study | Faculty of Medicine | Imperial College London 
• Survey: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

Research has shown that people who have later bedtimes (colloquially called ‘night owls’) are more likely to develop diabetes and other health problems, such as heart disease. This still holds true, even when the night owls get the same number of hours sleep as early risers. The underlying causes have not been clearly defined, but appear to be related to ‘circadian misalignment’. This is where societal pressures, such as work shifts, force us to wake earlier or stay awake longer than we naturally would.

The CODEC study aims to identify the chronotypes in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to find out what impact, if any, the chronotype (e.g. ‘night owl’ or ‘lark’) has on the patient’s ability to control their blood sugar levels, among other biological measures.

Understanding the genetics that influence risk of prostate cancer could improve the way we screen men for prostate cancer in future, and help more men get diagnosed and treated early.

Click on the link below to watch a video about the study to find out more.

Stopping Aminosalicylate Therapy in Inactive Crohn’s Disease (STATIC)

The STATIC study aims to look at the treatment of people who have a diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease by reviewing the current medication used. Please see the video below which provides more information regarding the study.