The Ridgeway Surgery is a research active practice linked to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network. We have been accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as a research ready practice. The GP Research Lead within our practice is Dr E Spiller.

We work in close collaboration with a team of GPs, research nurses and facilitators based at the University of Birmingham. If a patient is eligible to join a research study running in our practice, a GP or other healthcare professional will provide written information. Taking part in a research study is voluntary and can be beneficial to patients who participate in them.

Examples of research projects include:

• Investigating respiratory infections
• Management of heart failure
• How to increase physical activity
• Finding out whether low dose aspirin helps people with Type 2 diabetes
• Ways to help people stop smoking
• The use of self-monitoring of blood pressure
• Investigating timing of taking blood pressure medication

If you would like to know more about research taking place locally, please visit www.birmingham.ac.uk/CRN-WM.

Information regarding research and how patient information is used can be found by visiting www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients.

We also support and contribute to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) research. For more information, please visit www.cprd.com/public.