Publications

Here you can find plain language summaries of our research projects. You can also see our latest email newsletters and other publications.

Showing 73 publications

ARC West email newsletter – February 2024

Newsletter

In this edition: Vending machines could improve access to sexual health testing; Evaluation and evidence toolkits get fresh new look; Evaluation of programme to support high impact users of emergency departments

Read ARC West email newsletter – February 2024

ARC West email newsletter – December 2023

Newsletter

In this edition: New videos inspired by public contributors’ ideas; Training pages revamp; Tips for assessing risk of bias in RCTs; How an RCT rolled out interventions rapidly during the pandemic

Read ARC West email newsletter – December 2023

ARC West email newsletter – November 2023

Newsletter

In this edition: Working with public contributors event round up; Telling everyday stories of physical activity; Inflammatory marker testing research saves NHS resources

Read ARC West email newsletter – November 2023

ARC West email newsletter – September 2023

Newsletter

In this edition: Working effectively with public contributors webinar; Helping people who inject drugs care for their veins and avoid infection; Blood pressure risk of taking multiple antipsychotics

Read ARC West email newsletter – September 2023

ARC West email newsletter – July 2023

Newsletter

In this edition:  Co-production with people who’ve experienced trauma; Health Research Ambassador award win; New guide to working effectively with public contributors; Plus much more

Read ARC West email newsletter – July 2023

ARC West email newsletter – June 2023

Newsletter

In this edition: Unequal exposure to unhealthy product advertising; BMI hip replacement policies inappropriate; New evidence synthesis group awarded £2.5m; The importance of everyday life while dying; Plus much more

Read ARC West email newsletter – June 2023

DECODE: Unintended consequences of online access to health records

Research summary

NHS England have given patients access to their electronic medical records.

The intention behind online access is to give patients greater control of their health, while making care more efficient and helping reduce general practice workload.

We wanted to understand the consequences of patient online access to their health records in primary care, especially as some of these consequences may have been unintended.

Read DECODE: Unintended consequences of online access to health records

Preventing cerebral palsy in premature babies: the PReCePT programme

Research summary

Premature birth is the main cause of brain injury and cerebral palsy in babies. Evidence shows that babies can be protected from brain injury by giving magnesium sulfate to women who are at risk of premature birth.

In 2014 University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), in collaboration with the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), developed a programme to increase the use of magnesium sulfate. The programme, called PReCePT (Prevention of cerebral palsy in pre-term labour) was piloted in other NHS trusts after its initial success at UHBW.

We evaluated the implementation of the PReCePT programme in maternity units across the West of England.

Read Preventing cerebral palsy in premature babies: the PReCePT programme

SHarED: Supporting ‘high impact users’ of emergency departments

Research summary

In England, patients who attend emergency departments (A&E) five or more times a year represent 2 per cent of attendees but account for 11 per cent of attendances. These patients are known as ‘high impact users’.

The West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) programme ‘Supporting high impact users in emergency departments’ (SHarED) supported six emergency departments in the region to introduce personalised care plans for high impact users.

We analysed whether patients enrolled in SHarED changed their use of emergency department attendance compared to other high impact users.

Read SHarED: Supporting ‘high impact users’ of emergency departments

ARC West email newsletter – May 2023

Newsletter

In this edition: Improving management of high impact users in ED; Understanding mechanisms to manage air quality; Mike Bell’s retirement blog; Black Maternity Matters pilot evaluation; Plus much more

Read ARC West email newsletter – May 2023