2016 report

The aim of our group is to promote research into the diagnosis and management of the skin problems commonly seen in primary care, through networking, collaboration, and on-line discussion.

As in previous years, the main focus of group’s activity has been its annual meeting at the British Association of Dermatologists in London, hosted by the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (University of Nottingham).  It was attended by Matthew Ridd, Miriam Santer, Nick Francis, Kim Thomas, Sonia Ratib, Steve Ersser, Esther Burden-The, Tracey Sach, Fiona Cowdell, Christine Bundy, Jon Banks, and Emma McManus.  As with the online Google group, attendees represent a range of clinical and methodological backgrounds, from a range of institutions within the UK and from generalist and specialist care.

There were nine presentations, with discussion, covering: a range of common primary care skin conditions (eczema, acne, psoriasis, cellulitis and psychodermatology), at a variety of stages (proposal, submissions made for funding, recently completed/published trials) and also one methodological (health economics).  We also discussed NICE’s proposal to not update the 2007 childhood eczema guideline (we have subsequently made a group submission, appealing against this decision) and future direction for the group, e.g. making it more international in focus.

Notes from the meeting are available from the chair on request.

We next plan to meet in January 2017, probably in London.  The group currently has 35 members on the email list, of which ~15 are active in primary care dermatology research.  It is affiliated to the Clinical Research Network Dermatology Specialty Group

New members are always welcome – we would particularly like to expend our membership to include interested researchers outside of the UK.  The group benefits from a strong relationship with the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine and is always looking for ways to support the development of research relevant to primary care through partner organisations.