Humans of Health Research series - issue 8
The Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) has published the latest edition of ‘Humans of Health Research’, which highlights researchers and patients engaged in innovative healthcare research.In this eighth edition, Dr Amit Kaura, academic cardiology registrar, talks about his research using data to glean new insights on how to treat heart diseases. It also features William Taylor, who works with Dr Amit Kaura as a patient partner. Dr Kaura is part of the NIHR Health Informatics Collaborative (NIHR-HIC) led by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London. It was established for the sharing of anonymised NHS and patient data for research purposes. It is funded by the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.
Dr Kaura, who is also an honorary clinical lecturer in the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, said: “Despite major advances in cardiovascular disease and management it still remains one of the largest killers in the UK and worldwide. We have a wealth of data in the NHS and we formed a group to explore how this data could be used to learn more about cardiovascular disease.
“People need to understand that there are plenty of steps taken in terms of patient confidentiality. All the data is completely anonymised when looked at by researchers and it’s important to instil confidence in people that their data is protected. That is why it is important to have patients like William Taylor involved in our work to hear their concerns about the approach you’re taking and how we can address them."
William Taylor said: “As a patient representative on research projects, I am able to give different perspectives and ask questions that make medical practitioners think about how they’re going about their work. In any occupation you talk to your colleagues and often you’re in a bubble and using jargon. It is very easy for medical professionals to talk to patients in jargon and what the focus groups do is stop that.
"We help the doctors communicate to patients in a simple way, so the patients buy into the work that the doctors are doing. I find this aspect really rewarding. Being part of research has led me to be better educated about my heart condition which allows me to take better care of myself. I also hope that I have contributed and helped doctors with their research so that others can benefit too.”
Imperial College AHSC
Imperial College AHSC is a strategic university-NHS partnership that aims to accelerate the translation of scientific breakthroughs into new ways to improve patient care and maintain the health of the public. Its members are Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, The Institute of Cancer Research and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
During the pandemic and beyond, research and clinical work led by AHSC partners has had a significant impact on a national and global scale. The AHSC’s photography exhibition showcases NHS staff from across the partnership working in a range of medical specialties and roles, alongside their patients and patient representatives.
Read the latest interview on Imperial College London's website.
