News
Study looks at impact of COVID-19 pandemic on rates of congenital heart disease procedures among children
Major reallocation of healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic meant that elective surgery in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) was significantly reduced, so that those needing urgent, lifesaving and emergency surgery could be treated. However, this prioritisation of the most severely ill children did not increase overall post-operative…
Using data to tackle NHS and social care pressures in the South West
Two new research projects will help the NHS and councils in the South West improve how patients move through the health and care system. The projects could help ease pressure on both NHS services and social care by shedding light on what happens when patients leave hospital. …
New name for our local Secure Data Environment as funding confirmed to March 2025
The South West Secure Data Environment (SDE) is the new name for the Great Western SDE. This change of name reflects the SDE’s geographic area in plainer, more recognisable language. The change of name was approved by NHS England in June, alongside confirmation of the SDE’s…
Study find incidents of mental illness can increase for up to a year following severe COVID-19
A new study that examined health data on 18 million people reveals higher incidence of mental illnesses for up to a year following severe COVID-19 in unvaccinated people. Vaccination appeared to mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19 on mental illnesses. The University of Bristol-led study, published in…
New study identifies two proteins that may contribute to stroke recurrence
The study discovered genetic markers in inflammation that may be related to a second stroke or other major cardiovascular event following a stroke. These findings could help identify drug targets to mitigate stroke-related disability and mortality. People who experience an arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic…
Three new projects funded by Bristol BRC Director’s Fund
Three new research projects have secured funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Bristol Biomedical Research Centre’s (Bristol BRC) Director’s fund. The Director’s Fund supports exciting new projects across all our research themes which we hope will be developed into something that could directly benefit patients.
PhD opportunity with Bristol BRC and Health Data Research UK
The NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre is working with Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) to offer a place on their prestigious Big Data for Complex Diseases PhD programme. HDR UK is funding six PhDs with leading UK universities and research organisations. Within this programme, the Bristol…
Forecasting long-term demand in emergency departments
Policies designed to improve both health-related behaviours and personal circumstances could reduce the number of people attending emergency departments (ED) and improve the quality and safety of care in the long-term. Researchers from Bristol’s BRC combined statistical models looking at population health and health service capacity to predict monthly ED…
Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines offer high protection against severe COVID-19, 6 months after second doses, finds study of over 7 million adults
Protection against severe COVID-19 by two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines remained high up to six months after second doses, finds new research which analysed NHS health record data on over seven million adults. Reassuringly, the University of Bristol-led study published in The BMJ today [20 July],…