A partnership between the Universities of Brighton and Sussex with the NHS

 

elderly care and community medicine

This research group will be using health services research methods to develop and evaluate new ways of maintaining health and managing disease.

It is essential that we work in partnership with local NHS organisations to ensure that our research agenda is cognisant of their needs and priorities. For example, one area of research will be focused on care of the elderly, reflecting the high proportion of very elderly people living on the South coast.

We have been fortunate to receive charitable funding to help develop this and, as a result, have appointed Professor Chakravarthi Rajkumar as the Charles Hunnisett Foundation Chair in Elderly Care and Stroke Medicine. Prof Rajkumar is involved in community projects with a particular focus on hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly. He is supported by two senior lecturers, Dr Juliet Wright and Dr Khalid Ali.

Professor Helen Smith and Dr Satinder Kumar in the Division of Primary Care and Public Health Medicine have particular expertise in bringing together qualitative and quantitative research approaches to evaluate new technologies and to understand clinical decision making.

They apply their methodological expertise to those common conditions managed in primary care. Prof Smith has a programme of work relating to heart failure, musculoskeletal problems and allergic disorders. Dr Kumar’s work encompasses depression, obesity and early diagnosis of cancer. Dr Llewellyn works in health services research and health psychology.