Primary Health Care In The Spotlight At Three-Day Conference

Research into how primary health care is delivered to patients will come under the spotlight at a three-day conference being held at the University of East Anglia this week.

The latest research into diagnosis, treatment and care for people with conditions including dementia, diabetes, stroke, depression, arthritis, and cancer will all be showcased at the conference.

Challenges facing GP surgeries will also be addressed, including how to address the causes of socio-economic health inequality by shifting to a more community-oriented service.

The conference has been organised by the Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) which aims to promote excellence in research, education and policy development in general practice and primary health care.  It is the Society’s 39 th Annual Scientific Meeting, and the first time it has been held at UEA.

More than 300 care delegates from around the world will attend a diverse scientific programme of workshops, seminars, lectures, and over 100 presentations which celebrate the best in primary care research.

A diverse programme includes the holistic treatment of depression and spirit healing in Madagascar to using mobile phone text messaging to help smokers quit the habit, how primary care can combat climate change, and how IT-based pharmacy intervention could save lives by minimising medication errors. 

SAPC chair Prof Amanda Howe, from the university’s School of Medicine, said: “This meeting will continue the tradition of a high calibre, friendly and stimulating academic environment to showcase new research from and on primary care.

“We want to explore the theme of impacts of our work on different stakeholders, and our speakers have been chosen to reflect the ‘big issues’ – research and practice, research and the public, research and learning, research and the environment, and research and health inequalities.”

Speakers from the University of East Anglia include Prof Sam Leinster, dean of the School of Medicine. His keynote speech ‘How primary care makes a difference to clinical research and education’ will challenge why so much money is spent on hospital research, when a large proportion of illnesses are dealt with at a primary level.

He will argue that medical students gain a better understanding of illnesses, including their socio-economic factors, and patient-centred care, including psychological, social and spiritual dimensions, through contacts with primary care.

He said: “Research and education in healthcare must have benefit to patients and the general population as the main goals. It is only a small proportion of illness that presents to hospitals. It is therefore surprising that the majority of research spending and educational effort is concentrated in hospitals.”

Keynote speaker Prof Jan De Maeseneer, chair of the European Forum for Primary Care, will talk about whether primary care research can make a difference to health inequalities.

He said: “We need a comprehensive approach to primary health care, putting people first, comprehensively addressing the upstream causes of socio-economic health inequalities. We have to be able to deliver community-oriented primary care.”

Two art exhibitions will also be on display during the conference. ‘Paintaphasia’ will showcase the work of Peter Eccleshare, a former architect for Norwich City Hall, North Norfolk District Council and Waveney District Council, who became aphasic and started painting after a stroke in 2003. ‘Photo-ID: Photographers and Scientists Explore Identity’ explores human identity after the discovery of DNA.

The Society for Academic Primary Care’s Annual Scientific Meeting takes place at the University of East Anglia from July 7-9.