Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences

Overview

The department is a world-class leader in research and training, aiming to rethink the way healthcare is delivered in general practice and other primary care settings, both across the UK and globally. Integrating evidence and innovation, its main research focus is on the prevention, early diagnosis and management of common illness, health services research and digital health.

Research is led by internationally renowned scientists; many of whom are practising GPs, but Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences also has academics from a range of non-medical disciplines including the social sciences and humanities.

Research and teaching in the department cover a range of health issues you would typically see your GP for, such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, infectious illnesses, childhood conditions, diet and nutrition, smoking cessation, and cancer care. However, its work extends beyond this.

Key areas of focus include understanding and enhancing patient experiences, leveraging big data for insights, developing innovative digital health solutions, and collaborating on international healthcare initiatives. By combining medical expertise with cutting-edge research, the department focuses on understanding and improving the experiences of patients, utilising big data, developing digital health interventions and working internationally.

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has methodological expertise in clinical decision making and diagnostics, clinical epidemiology, medical statistics, modelling, qualitative research and the wider application of social science theory and methods to address practical and theoretical challenges in health and care settings. The department also has a dedicated in-house Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit and has an international reputation for developing research methodologies to ensure that research findings have a positive impact on clinical practice.

The department is home to several of the National Institute for Health Research's 200 most prestigious and prominent researchers. These NIHR Senior Investigators contribute significantly to the health sciences as senior leaders, demonstrate research excellence and lead in training of the NIHR's people.

The department teaches elements of the undergraduate programme in medicine including arranging placements for medical students in GP practices. It also provide a highly supportive environment for postgraduates whether they are registered for a DPhil, enrolled on one of its short courses, or the Evidence Based Health Care programme (administered by the Department for Continuing Education). You will also have access to the Medical Sciences Graduate School. The department welcomes domestic and international students to join its experienced and enthusiastic teachers, mentors and supervisors in aspirational study and research.

The department's research is quickly translated into improvements in patient care. In the past five years the department's research has changed clinical guidelines in many areas, including finding an effective treatment for COVID-19 in the community, more effective ways for the NHS to manage patients who wish to lose weight, identified early signs of serious illness in children, enhanced the diagnostic pathways for diabetes, heart failure and for hypertension, improved the recognition and treatment of stroke risk in atrial fibrillation, and altered health policy on smoking cessation. To ensure research is relevant and beneficial, the department works closely with patient and public representatives.