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Early Career Researchers and Primary Care Staff Focus of Dementia Day

A full-to-capacity delegation of 80 people with an interest in dementia research was part of a special Dementia Research Day held by the Network in Leeds on January 23.

The gathering comprised early-career researchers, GPs willing to champion research and leading dementia researchers from the region and further afield, as well as Network staff.

The day had three main aims:

  • To further develop current dementia early career clinical researchers in NHS trusts;
  • To engage multi-professional dementia early clinical researchers;
  • To strategically examine methods for GPs and primary care research staff  engagement in dementia studies with CRN research staff support

On the last point, Professor Esme Moniz-Cook, CRN Yorkshire and Humber’s Dementia Clinical Lead, said: “As far as dementia is concerned, there’s a great deal of research going on in secondary care, and people tend to be diagnosed in secondary care. But after that they are referred back to their GP, so their opportunity to be involved in research diminishes. We need to make sure we are involving GPs and social care in the conversation early when we talk about research.”

Attendees listened to presentations - including one from Professor Gail Mountain, of the University of Bradford, and another from Professor Rob Howard of University College London, among others.

A workshop for primary care staff also took place, and the Network’s senior research nurse, Clive Nicholson, who holds the Join Dementia Research brief, was around to speak to delegates.

Professor Moniz-Cook, who is based at the University of Hull, added: “I learned a lot and have some ideas on how we can improve involvement of people with dementia and families in research.”