NIHR HPRU in Evaluation and Behavioural Science

📢Coming up: Next in our webinar series:📢

'Tackling polypharmacy in primary care: Reflecting on learning from the IMPPP clinical trial'

📆Wednesday 25 March 2026
🕛1-2pm
🌐Online

Contributors: Dr Jenny Scott, Dr Deborah McCahon & Prof Rupert Payne

👉 Register: tinyurl.com/2s4e4y3w

#GPsky #PharmSky

📰News!📰NDARC awarded $4.2 million to explore rapidly shifting drug use patterns. The project led by Prof Rebecca McKetin, said it will bring together leading world experts including our HPRU in drug use & data modelling to transform the way we understand illicit drug use.
More ▶️ tinyurl.com/4nuubjrs

Sign in window that says "We're hiring"

📢New funded PhD available!📢
Design and analysis to estimate diagnostic test accuracy without universal verification
Applications close on Monday 16th March.
More info➡️ tinyurl.com/8vhvse8p
@bristoluni.bsky.social @profhayleyjones.bsky.social

Illustration of woman struggling with drug addiction

📢New blog!📢Helping people to live and survive co-use of benzodiazepines/z-drugs and opioids: the importance of asking how and why people co-use. By @drnscot.bsky.social,
Dr Gabriele Vojt, @jokesten.bsky.social, @hannah-family.bsky.social, @jscottuob.bsky.social
Read more▶️ tinyurl.com/2wp9fhwc

Man talking to pharmacist in pharmacy

📰News!📰Community pharmacies are a promising site for expanding access to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), according to a recent study. This is a highly effective medication can be used to reduce the risk of getting HIV.
More ▶️ tinyurl.com/ysn6kkkh @arc-west.bsky.social @jhorwood.bsky.social

We're supporting the drive to #BePartofResearch here in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Sign up today: bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/join?utm_sou...

@nihr.bsky.social

Child with mother receiving vaccination

📢New funded PhD available!📢
Improving the system within which families access childhood and adolescent vaccination programmes.
This PhD has been co-funded with @nihrspcr.bsky.social.
Applications close on 2nd March 2026.
More info➡️ tinyurl.com/7mdcjvu6
@bristoluni.bsky.social

UK scientists play major role in groundbreaking liver study The largest liver study in the history of the NHS is due for roll out next year, with the aim of preventing thousands of people at risk of liver disease […]

📰News!📰Bristol & UK scientists play major role in groundbreaking liver study. The largest liver study in the history of the #NHS is due for roll out next year, with the aim of preventing thousands of people at risk of liver disease from needing hospital care.
Read more ▶️ tinyurl.com/45a996rx

New study highlights successes and challenges of England’s Emergency Departments opt-out testing for Blood-Borne Viruses A new study published in the Emergency Medicine Journal found strong overall support for opt-out Blood-Borne Viruses testing among Emergency Department staff, with training playing a crucial role in i...

📰News!📰A new study found strong support for opt-out Blood-Borne Viruses testing among Emergency Department staff, with training playing a crucial role in improving understanding of the programme’s purpose & processes.
More▶️ tinyurl.com/vn5sm5nn @jhorwood.bsky.social @siobhanallison.bsky.social

📅Events for the calendar!📅Do you work for a HPRU? If so, you may find these events useful.
For more information, visit ▶️ hpruebs.nihr.ac.uk/events/

Young African man receiving covid vaccine at home from a doctor. Woman doctorgiving an injection to African man sitting at clinic

📰News!📰New research, published in Vaccines, has highlighted ways sexual health services can help increase #HPV, #hepatitis A & hepatitis B #vaccine uptake among gay and bisexual men.
Read more ▶️ tinyurl.com/mvzu7vwb

Graphic for "A simple solution to the common cold. It's been right under our noses"

📰News!📰Winter respiratory infections continue to place intense pressure on the #NHS - driving GP demand, hospital admissions & antibiotic use - researchers are asking whether some of the most effective solutions may already be hiding in plain sight.
More▶️ tinyurl.com/ny6uh6cb @carriiuk.bsky.social

street tablets

📰News!📰Understanding street tablet users’ perspectives in an area with many drug-related deaths.
“Collaborating with peer researchers was integral to engaging this high-risk & underrepresented population of people who use drugs" More➡️ tinyurl.com/34sywrc7 @arc-west.bsky.social @jokesten.bsky.social

The changing face of antimicrobial resistance in the UK: long-term observation and a future resource By Dr Rosy Reynolds, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, Population Health Sciences. Antimicrobial resistance – who cares and why? Do you have a friend or family member […]

📢 New blog! 📢 Antibiotic resistance isn’t a distant worry — it’s already reshaping modern medicine. A major 20‑year UK review reveals how quickly bacteria adapt, how MRSA was pushed back, and why E. coli now leads bloodstream infections. @bristoluni.bsky.social
Read more ➡️ tinyurl.com/ynke2j34

Happy New Year everyone! 🎉

🚨A reminder that our next webinar, on improving #MentalHealth in #PrimaryCare, is on 26 January, 1-2pm.🚨

For info & to register, see below. ⬇️

See you there!

New guidance on creating accessible patient information leaflets for clinical trials - Bristol Biomedical Research Centre New guidance on how to create accessible and inclusive patient information leaflets is available to researchers who want to recruit patients to their clinical trials. The guidance was created by healt...

🚨 New guidance on creating accessible patient information leaflets for clinical trials 🚨

🧑‍⚕️ Are you a health researcher? Want to recruit patients to trials?
👉 Find out how to make your patient information leaflets more accessible and inclusive:
www.bristolbrc.nihr.ac.uk/new-guidance...

We are hiring sign in window

New funded PhD available! Exploring the use of AI to support rapid intervention co-production. This is a 3 year HPRU funded PhD project led by Dr Sarah Denford, Prof Lucy Yardley & Dr Dale Weston. CLOSES 26/01/26.
More info➡️ tinyurl.com/4t29kkmw @bristoluni.bsky.social @findaphd.bsky.social

child receiving vaccination

New funded PhD available! Optimising access to routine childhood immunisation in general practice.
This is a 3 year HPRU funded PhD project led by Dr Hannah Christensen & Dr Clare French. CLOSES 26/01/26.
More info ➡️ tinyurl.com/bdebe9ae
@bristoluni.bsky.social @findaphd.bsky.social

newborn in mothers arms in hospital

New funded PhD available! Health Service evaluation of maternal RSV vaccine uptake. This is a 3 year HPRU funded PhD project led by Dr Clare French, Prof Ellen Brooks-Pollock, & Dr Hannah Christensen. CLOSES 26/01/26.
More info➡️ tinyurl.com/48f2j337
@bristoluni.bsky.social @findaphd.bsky.social

A group of people meeting each other

📢Blog time!📢Great new blog on our website by Dr Helen Baxter @arc-west.bsky.social, reviewed by our own HM expert
@drclarethomas.bsky.social - Conversations about knowledge mobilisation with public contributors.
Read more➡️ tinyurl.com/9ccz6tra @bristoluni.bsky.social

emergency exit

New funded PhD available! Personalised risk assessment to improve protective behaviours in emergency contexts. This 3 year project is led by Dr Holly Carter, Dr Dale Weston, Dr Freya Mills & Dr Sarah Denford.
CLOSES 26/01/26. ➡️ tinyurl.com/2j6tkk5a @bristoluni.bsky.social @findaphd.bsky.social

woman receiving vaccination

New funded PhD available! Identifying & evaluating opportunities to improve influenza vaccine uptake in adults with chronic respiratory disease. This 3 year project is led by Dr R Lazarus & Dr H Christensen.
CLOSES 26/01/26. ➡️ tinyurl.com/zvvwew74 @bristoluni.bsky.social @findaphd.bsky.social

Stylised, colourful illustration showing a diverse line-up of parents with their infants. One woman is pregnant. One baby is in an incubator. Text reads: Join the regional perinatal equity network. Free online event 14 January 2026 10am to 12pm. Open to all working in perinatal and related services. Logos included for NHS, Health Innovation West of England, Health Innovation South West and the National Patient Safety Improvement Programme.

If you work in or with perinatal services in the South West & are passionate about reducing health inequalities, join our Regional Perinatal Equity Network.

Our next event is Wednesday 14 January: https://www.healthinnowest.net/event/regional-perinatal-equity-network-11/ Please join us!

🎉 Celebrating what we've achieved in 2025! 🎉

🥳 See the top news stories of the year from our research themes 👇

📰 Read all our news of 2025 at www.bristolbrc.nihr.ac.uk/news/

#diet #PhysicalActivity #SurgicalInnovation #MentalHealth #DataScience #RespiratoryDisease

Check our new animation about #MarthasRule, helping explain and promote this vital #NHS #PatientSafety programme to both members of the public and healthcare professionals. Please help us to share!

https://vimeo.com/1133093696?fl=pl&fe=sh

🎬 New films launched today!

United for Health: a collaboration with South Asian community group Dhek Bhal and @bristoluni.bsky.social, highlighting why involving minoritised communities in research matters.

Project funded by @hellobrigstow.bsky.social

www.bristolbrc.nihr.ac.uk/united-for-h...

Visit: https://www.goodgrieffest.com/the-grief-academy @lucyselman.bsky.social @capcbristol.bsky.social @griefcentrebris.bsky.social #NGAW2025 #NationalGriefAwarenessWeek #GrowingWithGrief #GP #GeneralPractice #MedEd #PrimaryCare #hpm

📢 New course alert!
Designed with GPs, 'Grief & Bereavement in Primary Care' features world-leading experts, practical tips & evidence-based resources. Learn how to support bereaved patients effectively & compassionately. Early-bird discount ends 6 Jan
Sign up today goodgrieffest.com/the-grief-ac...

📢Coming up: Next in our webinar series: 📢

'Improving mental health in primary care: novel psychological and pharmacological interventions'

📆Monday 26 Jan 2026
🕛1-2pm
🌐Online

Contributors: Prof Nicola Wiles, @charlotte-archer.bsky.social & Dr Daniela Strelchuk

👉Register: tinyurl.com/3myjjyb2

New evidence review identifies the most effective ways to increase vaccine uptake A comprehensive new review led by researchers from the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Evaluation and Behavioural Science at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with the HPRU [&...

📰News! A new evidence review identifies the most effective ways to increase vaccine uptake. 💉
The comprehensive review combined data from more than 200 trials comprising over 6 million participants.
More➡️ tinyurl.com/yuy7xse3 @ukhsa.bsky.social @lshtm.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social

New £1m fund to accelerate research access to data - southwestsde-nhs-uk The South West Secure Data Environment (SDE) is encouraging organisations that hold health and social care data in the South West to share more of their data, to drive ground-breaking research and inn...

🚀New £1m ‘data readiness’ funding call!

🛠️Organisations holding health and social care data in our region can apply for a share of £1m to make their data research ready through our #SDE.

👍Find out more here:
www.southwestsde.nhs.uk/new-1m-fund-...

#PoweredByNHSData #DataSavesLives #Research