Medical Centre

Earlier this year, the Department of Primary Care & Public Health at Imperial College hosted a visit from a delegation from the Ministry of Health in the Republic of Macedonia . During the visit, academics in the department discussed the primary healthcare system in the Republic of Macedonia and ways in which the Department of Primary Care & Public Health could support both undergraduate and postgraduate training in primary care. The Republic of Macedonia faces major challenges in improving its health system and the development of high-quality primary care services is seen as a key step in achieving improved access to healthcare.

A recent article in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice examined trends in lower extremity amputations in people with and without diabetes in England during the period 1996-2005. The study, which was reported on the BBC News Website , found that although overall numbers of amputations fell, the number occurring in people with type 2 diabetes increased. This may be because the prevalence of type 2 diabetes increased over this period and because surgeons are intervening earlier to prevent more serious damage to the feet and legs of people with type 2 diabetes.

Research Design Service (RDS) London is part of the NIHR and provides help to those preparing research proposals for submission to the NIHR for applied health or social care research. With centres based at King's College London, Imperial College London , Queen Mary and University College London, it is focused on supporting applications for funding from NHS researchers and those working in partnership with the NHS. Priority is given to those applying for NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) and Programme Grant funding. Advice is provided free of charge and is available through use of online resource and consultations with experts.

One of my professional roles is acting as Associate Director (Primary Care) for the Diabetes Research Network . Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases that primary care professionals treat, affecting nearly 4% of the population of England. A key aim for Diabetes Research Network will be to encourage general practitioners, practice nurses and other primary care professionals to take part in its activities and to help recruit patients for clinical trials and other studies. A recent article in the journal Primary Care Diabetes discusses how primary health care professionals and the Diabetes Research Network can work together.

A study from Imperial College , LSHTM and the University of Leicester published online in the BMJ this week compared the safety of drugs used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The findings of the study confirm that Metformin remains the first choice drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Patients taking sulphonylureas were more likely to suffer from heart attacks and heart failure or to die, compared to people taking Metformin. Doctors should therefore consider Metformin as their first choice when treating people with type 2 diabetes, as recommended by national guidelines from NICE . The study was reported by a number of media outlets, including the Guardian , Telegraph and NHS Choices .