Congratulations to PMR director Professor Michael Sharpe who has taken up a new role as Professor of Psychological Medicine at the University of Oxford. Professor Sharpe will continue to act as director of the Group as well as Chief Investigator of the SMaRT research trials. He will remain an honorary Professor in the University of Edinburgh as well as developing PMR research in Oxford.
SMaRT Oncology-3 closes to recruitment
The period of recruitment of patients into the SMaRT Oncology-3 trial came to a close this month. Thanks to the great efforts of the team we managed to recruit 142 patients into this study which is comparing treatments for depression in patients with lung cancer.
A report of the trial "Guided self-help for functional (psychogenic) symptoms. A randomized controlled efficacy trial" was published in the journal Neurology with accompanying podcast during August. This paper describes a comparison of guided self help with usual care for neurology patients with medically unexplained (functional) symptoms. Further details of this article can be found at: http://www.neurology.org/content/77/6/564.abstract?sid=131202bf-430b-41ff-b7cd-cf11ea99d844
Oncology-2 has recruited its 500th patient into the study this month, weeks ahead of schedule, which means we have met the recruitment target for the trial. This is a major milestone for the team and we recognise all the hard work by PMR staff to achieve this target. The next phase of the trial which involves treatment and outcome data collection will continue on into early 2012.
This month Dr Aarti Sawhney joined the team as a clinical research fellow on the SMaRT research trials. She previously worked in the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh as a liaison psychiatrist and is a valuable addition to the medical team.
COMPASS Collaborative holds its final Annual Scientific Meeting.
January 2011
SMaRT Oncology-3 Recruits 100th Patient
The SMaRT Oncology-3 Trial has reached a major milestone this month, recruiting its 100th patient into the study. SMaRT Oncology-3 is specifically for patients with lung cancer and will be recruiting patients from Lothian, Fife, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire and Tayside until the end of summer 2011.
November 2010
Dr Charles Gourley achieves senior clinical fellowship from Cancer Research UK
October 2010
SMaRT Oncology-2 Recruits 400th Patient
The SMaRT Oncology-2 Trial has reached another milestone this month, recruiting its 400th patient into the study. As one of the largest studies of its kind in the world, it is on schedule to recruit its target of 500 patients by Summer 2011.
September 2010
Dr Jane Walker achieves Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical TrialsCongratulations to our Cancer Research UK research fellow and honorary consultant in liaison psychiatry, Dr Jane Walker. Following her success in passing recent exams with distinction, Dr Walker has now achieved a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Trials from the University of London. In the coming year she will be continuing her studies in this area to gain her MSc.
NHS Lothian contributes to Symptom Monitoring Service
Psychological Medicine Research has received a generous contribution from NHS Lothian to support the valuable work done by the Symptom Monitoring Service. The Lothian University Hospitals Division Cancer Research Fund is supporting two of our Symptom Monitoring Service assistants for 6 months as they continue in their work of screening cancer outpatients for Major Depression in clinics across the region.
July 2010
More new faces join the PMR group
Over the summer we welcome a number of new staff to the team. Ann McCulloch joins the Glasgow nursing team. On the SMS teams we welcome Julie Wallace, Heather Coventry, Leanne Stephen, Alanna Perratt and Niall Brennan to Glasgow, and Frieda Brookmann to Edinburgh. We are also looking forward to two new doctors joining the medical team. Dr Chloe Beale and Dr Anne Byrne will start in August. For more information about our staff, please visit our staff pages.
COMPASS Masterclass confirmedThe COMPASS Collaborative in Edinburgh are hosting a series of research masterclasses for academics, researchers, clinicians and policy makers interested in Complex Interventions and the MRC Framework. The next Masterclass is now confirmed. Prof Alex Jadad (Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Toronto) will speak about 'Complex Interventions using eHealth and Social Media' on November 4th 2010. For further information, please click here
June 2010
Symptom Monitoring Service (SMS) screens its 20,000th patient
The SMS which screens for Major Depression and monitors common symptoms in cancer out patients now operates in six health boards across Scotland. The total number of patients who have completed the SMS since its inception in 2008 crossed the 20,000 mark this month. More than 1,500 patients complete the screening every month.