October 2009
Professor Michael Sharpe announced as Academic Psychiatrist of the Year
Academic Psychiatrist of the Year
Professor Michael Sharpe was announced as Academic Psychiatrist of the Year at the 2009 Royal College of Psychiatrists inaugural awards ceremony on 6th October. Professor Sharpe attended the awards ceremony in London where he received a commemorative plaque. The College particularly praised his work in improving psychological care for people with medical disorders.
Dr Jane Walker Presents at National Cancer Conference
NCRI Conference
Dr Jane Walker, research fellow with PMR, presented at the NCRI (National Cancer Research Institute) Cancer Conference on 5th October. Dr Walker presented work on the quality assurance procedures in place in the SMaRT trials to ensure that the treatment given is the treatment intended and the implications of this for clinical practice. Various methods were discussed, including standardised training, competency assessments, regular supervision and ratings of video-recorded treatment sessions as well as discussion of the feasibility of such procedures in clinical practice.
September 2009
New Symptom Monitoring Service for Fife and Falkirk
The Symptom Monitoring Service (SMS) has started to screen patients attending selected cancer clinics in Fife and Falkirk. This is the first time these new cancer clinics have had this clinical service and it is hoped it will help clinicians in these areas to identify problematic symptoms, such as pain and depression, in their patients.
Danish Research Fellow Visits PMR
Danish Research Fellow
A research fellow in psychiatry, Andreas Bak Schroder from the University of Aarhus in Denmark, visited PMR this month to discuss his work. Dr Schroder works in the research clinic for functional disorders and psychosomatics in Aarhus and has recently completed a trial of a cognitive and behavioural-based group intervention for patients with symptoms of bodily distress.
August 2009
PMR Training Day at Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
PMR staff from both the Edinburgh and Glasgow sites came together at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre on 13th August for the second of our three major 2009 training days. Cancer specialists from the Beatson gave talks on different cancer types and their treatment as well as describing research studies and trials currently being carried out at the West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
July 2009
PIG Transplants Talk Coming Soon
PIG
Symptom Experience Study (SES) Begins
A new qualitative study – the Symptom Experience Study (SES) - has begun and aims to explore cancer patient's experience of distress. This study is a sister study to the Persistence of Distress Study (PODS) to see what type of treatment they would prefer if any. It is planned to interview around 20 patients who have been found to be emotionally distressed but who do not meet criteria for major depression.
June 2009
What is "Depression Care for People with Cancer"?
May 2009
Persistence of Distress Study (PODS) soon to commence
A new observational study led by Dr Annet Kleiboer is due to commence this month. This study focuses on cancer patients who are scoring high on distress in the clinics but are not suffering a major depressive episode. The study aims to measure patient's level of distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms) over a period of 6 months. The study will follow patients attending both the Edinburgh and Glasgow Cancer Centres.
April 2009
White coat hypertension is a well-known phenomenon whereby a patient’s blood-pressure readings are artificially raised when attending the doctor’s clinic but otherwise their blood-pressure is normal.
Distress – not just a doctor’s appointment phenomenon
An audit of the distress screening of the Symptom Monitoring Service at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre led by Dr Parvez Thekkumpurath has been successfully completed. Patients who were high on the HADS distress measure in clinic were asked to repeat this measure approximately 2 weeks later during their routine follow-up telephone call at home. The results of the audit show that distress in patients attending the cancer clinics usually persists and is not merely the result of transient worry about their appointment. We are now working on developing a treatment for this distress.
March 2009
SMaRT Study Protocol Published
New Oncologist Adviser to PMR
Consultant Oncologist Dr Charlie Gourley of the Edinburgh Cancer Centre has joined PMR as an advisor in relation to its clinical research with cancer patients. He joins his colleague Dr Lucy Wall in this role, who has been advising PMR in oncology matters for some time. Dr Gourley conducts research in ovarian cancer genetics and translational research and we look forward to his continuing assistance in our own clinical research. Details of his own research can be found at: http://www.ecrc.ed.ac.uk/groups/studys.asp?studyID=12
February 2009
Visit from Professor Wayne Katon
Professor Wayne Katon visited PMR in February and delivered key training to staff on the principles of Collaborative Care. Professor Katon is a world-leader in the development and use of Collaborative Care and is based at the University of Washington in Seattle. Collaborative Care is a model for organising healthcare delivery while integrating specialty knowledge and treatment into primary care and is an essential component of the complex intervention tested in the SMaRT Oncology trials.
New Appointment for the SMHRN
Mark Hazelwood is the new Associate Director for Operations at the Scottish Mental Health Research Network (SMHRN). Mr Hazelwood begins his post this month and we look forward to working closely with him in relation to our current research.
January 2009
PIG promotes interest in Psychological Medicine
PIG
New Lecturer in Psychological Medicine Appointed
Dr Neelom Sharma has been newly appointed as lecturer in Psychological Medicine. Dr Sharma is currently a senior Specialty Registrar working in liaison psychiatry at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
COMPASS Masterclasses Announced
The 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 series will include seminars, workshops and group discussions, and cover topics such as design, evaluation, funding, statistics, health-economics and publication.
Three upcoming masterclasses have now been confirmed, for more details click here
SMaRT Oncology-3 Trial now recruiting in both Glasgow and Edinburgh
The SMaRT Oncology-3 Trial is now recruiting patients attending the Edinburgh Cancer Centre and the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and their associated clinics. For more information click here
PACE Trial Finishes Recruiting
The UK wide MRC PACE trial, of which Edinburgh was a centre, closed for enrolments in December having successfully recruited to its target (613 patients). Follow up is now taking place. Results will be available in 2010 www.pacetrial.org
PMR Charity Ball
PMR held their annual charity ball at Craighouse in Edinburgh on 14th November. All the proceeds from the night (more than £600) were donated to Cancer Research UK. We are very grateful to everyone who attended as well as to the local businesses who contributed generously with raffle prizes.
Paper published in Journal of Clinical Oncology
The paper titled "Better off dead: suicidal thoughts in cancer patients" was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on 10th October 2008. The study involved a survey of consecutive patients attending the outpatient clinics of the Edinburgh Cancer Centre and data were obtained from nearly three thousand patients. 7.8% reported having thoughts that they would be 'better off dead or of hurting themselves in some way' in the past 2 weeks. Having these thoughts was found to be strongly associated with also having pain and emotional distress. The paper concluded that the identification and treatment of emotional distress and pain should be a central aspect of cancer care. PMR Publications
Lecturer awarded Clinical Research Fellowship with Cancer Research UK
Dr Jane Walker, previously a lecturer in Psychological Medicine in PMR, has been awarded a prestigious Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Psychosocial Oncology by Cancer Research UK. Dr Walker is taking a lead role in the SMaRT Oncology-3 Trial.
Race for Life
The SMaRT Oncology-1 trial was published in The Lancet on 3rd July 2008. The trial recruited 200 patients with clinical depression from the Edinburgh Cancer Centre. Half were given the usual NHS care for their depression, the other half also received 'Depression Care for People with Cancer', a treatment programme devised by PMR. The treatment programme was delivered by specially trained cancer nurses, supervised by Professor Sharpe. After three months of receiving the new treatment, almost 20 per cent fewer patients were depressed compared with those who received standard NHS treatment. The difference was still evident after one year.
To read more about the trial go to www.thelancet.com/home
PMR staff open Edinburgh’s Race For Life
Nurses from PMR opened the Edinburgh Race for Life this year. Race for Life is Cancer Research UK’s flagship event that has grown to become the UK’s largest women-only fundraising event.
To find out more about Race For Life go to http://www.raceforlife.org
Symptom Monitoring Service now running in Glasgow Cancer Clinics
Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
Further developments in SMS have seen hand-held wireless devices being introduced in both Edinburgh and Glasgow to make it even easier for patients to report their symptoms in the clinic.
SMaRT Oncology-2 Trial now recruiting in both Glasgow and Edinburgh
The SMaRT Oncology-2 Trial is now recruiting patients attending the Edinburgh Cancer Centre and the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and their associated clinics. For more information on SMaRT Oncology-2 click here.