QResearch marks ten years with 10k award

QResearch has launched a £10,000 award for research teams involved in projects that are likely to benefit patients and improve clinical care in primary health.

The not-for-profit partnership between Nottingham University and EMIS has launched the QInnovation Award to mark its tenth anniversary.

The co-founder of Qresearch, Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox said: “I am delighted to offer this exciting opportunity to stimulate research innovation in primary care, where the vast bulk of NHS work is carried out every day.”

To have a chance of landing the £10,000 award, teams must include a GP and at least one member with postgrad research experience. They must also be able to complete their research within two years.

The winners will receive data from QResearch, time from an expert epidemiologist/statistician, and up to £10,000 to support their work and its dissemination.

“I would urge my colleagues in primary care to consider entering,” Professor Hippisley-Cox added.

QResearch collects data from EMIS systems, and 750 practices, covering 15m patients, now regularly contribute information to its database.

This information has been used in a number of innovations, including the QRisk2 formula, which identifies people at risk of heart disease, and the QCancer tool to assess cancer risks.

EMIS chief executive Sean Riddell said the partnership with Nottingham University was a vital element of EMIS’ healthcare approach: “I cannot think of a better way than this to mark the anniversary,” he added.

Submissions for the award are open until 5pm on 30 Nov 2012. The winners will be notified within a month.