The NIHR CLAHRC Wessex, which formally launched on Wednesday 12 March, aims to tackle some of the most pressing health problems in the South. We held a special networking event at the Hilton Hotel in Southampton to mark the launch, and to hear talks from key researchers on each of the CLAHRC’s six themes of work.
Dean of the Faculty, Jessica Corner, introduced the event to invited guests and representatives from the media. A guest presentation was made by Fiona Dalton, CEO of University Hospital Southampton,which was followed by the opportunity to network.
At the event we launched a new study beginning in West Hampshire to identify, diagnose and treat patients with lung disease. Around two thirds of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases, which is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease, remain undetected until they are in the advanced stages, meaning treatment is often too late. The CLAHRC’s Integrated Respiratory Care Programme lead, Dr Tom Wilkinson, revealed a new pilot study which will see specific breathing tests which reveal COPD characteristics take place in GP surgeries in Totton, instead of hospitals.
The study is run by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) CLAHRC Wessex, a group of researchers from the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, the Wessex Academic Health Science Network and other local NHS partners.
The event was a great success, with good engagement from delegates at the launch and plenty of local media coverage. Professor Jessica Corner, Dean of Health Sciences at the University of Southampton and Director of the NIHR CLAHRC Wessex, commented: “The CLAHRC will aim to develop and improve the care that people across our region receive. Institutions across Wessex already have a good track record of working together to improve the health of the local population. This is an exciting and important opportunity that will enable us to continue that good work to drive our health services forward.”