Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Researchers, clinicians and carers from across the ARC OxTV are working hard to do what they can to combat the COVID-19 crisis

ARC OxTV, it's members and partners have moved quickly to do what we can to support our researchers, clinicians and carers in this work -- from freeing up clinician time from academic commitments to supporting nationally important research responses to the crisis.

We'd like to thank all of our staff, members and partners for their hard work and commitment at this time; from those on the front line of care in hospitals and GP surgeries, to those working behind the scenes to make it all happen.

Below you will find an outline of a wide programme of work that is either mainly led by ARC supported academics and clinicians, or for which some funding has been provided to support activities. 

Being based at the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, ARC OxTV holds a particular strength in community-based health and social care, which you will find reflected in the projects we're supporting.

Use the headings below to expand the different categories of project we're supporting.

PRINCIPLE

The PRINCIPLE trial aims to find out whether selected treatments given to people at higher risk of becoming more ill when they are infected with COVID-19 can help reduce the need for hospitalisation and the length of stay required, helping people recover quicker and with fewer complications. The trial is recruiting participants through GP practices across the UK.

Contact:

principle@phc.ox.ac.uk

www.principletrial.org

RAPTOR COVID-19

Evaluation of rapid COVID-19 diagnostic tests for community use against reference standards (PCR swabs) as technologies become available (Nicholson, Hobbs).

Scaling up testing will be a key UK priority to better understand and control COVID-19 transmission and reinfections rates.

Contact:

Professor RIchard Hobbs via his PA: richard.hobbs_pa@phc.ox.ac.uk

Mental health:

Co-SPACE Survey 

"COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children in Epidemics. "

This digital survey aims to track children and Young People's mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also working closely with policy makers and community/voluntary organisations; and linking up with a number of international teams to replicate the survey elsewhere (and link data).

Contact:

www.psy.ox.ac.uk/research/topic-research-group/supporting-parents-adolescents-and-children-during-epidemics

emergingminds.org.uk

Fast tracked projects

The cancellation of face-to-face routine antenatal appointments due to COVID-19 has generated interest from hospitals in the digital blood pressure monitoring apps developed for the BUMP, SNAP and OPTIMUM work. We are currently investigating the potential to develop this as an implementation trial.

Contact:

Professor Richard McManus, via his PA: lucy.curtin@phc.ox.ac.uk

National community COVID-19 surveillance

The Oxford Royal College of General Practice (RCGP) Sentinel Surveillance Network are conducting viral swabbing of symptomatic people and random antibody sampling, via an extra serology sample with routine bloods, in asymptomatic individuals.

Initially provided through 100 practices, this has been rapidly scaled up to 300 and aims to reach 1000 practices.

This work is a partnership with Public Health England.

Further epidemiological data will be available from a wider number of practices (2-3000) who are not sampling but will collect COVID-19 codes.  

National COVID-19 Clinical Informatics hub

To support a number of major COVID-19 research programmes the ARC, through its Digital Health theme, supported the rapid engineering of a new national primary care digital platform – the Oxford RCGP Clinical Informatics Digital Hub (ORCHID).

This is to provide a secure, scalable, and resilient digital database capable of supporting the PRINICPLE trial, RAPTOR COVID-19 and community surveillance projects, and providing a clinical informatics hub.

COVID-19 Trusted Evidence 

The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) have established the Oxford COVID-19 Evidence Service and we are also supporting the COVID-19 RCGP Scientific Steering Committee.

These rapid systematic review services have gained rapid adoption with over 2 million views for the Evidence Service in its first 10 days, and had in excess of 70 reviews developed an published during April alone.

The Evidence Service is now recognised as having ‘a lasting research value’ by the Oxford University Bodleian Library and worthy of permanent preservation in their web archive.

Further Information:

www.cebm.net/covid-19

COVID-19 and cystic fibrosis rapid guideline
(NG170)

Professor John Powell, Digital health theme lead, is a consultant clinical adviser at NICE, and has been supporting the NICE rapid COVID-19 guidelines programme. For example he was the lead NICE clinical adviser on the COVID-19 and cystic fibrosis rapid guideline (NG170).

Further information:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng170

Managing suspected or confirmed pneumonia in adults in the community (NG165)

Professors Richard Hobbs, Trisha Greenhalgh and Carl Henegan also played a key role in developing rapid NICE guidance on managing suspected or confirmed pneumonia in adults in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Further information:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng165/chapter/2-Treatment-and-care-planning

Direct staff responses

Bethan McDonald, ARC Partner Manager and public health specialist, is supporting the Thames Valley Public Health England health protection team in its response.

This involves providing public health advice, guidance and management support to providers across the Thames Valley. We are working mainly with primary care, secondary care, laboratories, care homes, prisons, schools and local authorities – providing risk assessments of outbreaks and guidance on control and management. 

Further information: 

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england

Materials for helping children and young people with worries, fears, anxieties around COVID-19

Download (.pdf)

Multiple language versions available by clicking here

List of recommended resources for supporting children and young people View on emergingminds.org.uk
Webinar on supporting children and young people, with accompanying podcasts and other materials.  View here (emergingminds.org.uk)
Further COVID-19 webinars planned. Click here (emergingminds.org.uk)

Recent ARC OxTV news

Unique research collaboration highlights innovative approaches for post-pandemic healthcare

Exploring groundbreaking NHS projects that enhance post-pandemic healthcare through innovative approaches and collaborative research, focusing on remote healthcare, service delivery improvements, and workforce innovation.

New online tool that empowers parents to treat child anxiety could expand access to child mental health services

New ARC OxTV supported research shows an online program empowering parents to use cognitive behavioral therapy to treat child anxiety is as effective as in-person therapy but more accessible and scalable.