Prestigious Royal College research award win for Eastern GP

A GP in Cambridge has won a prestigious national award honouring the enormous contribution they have made in delivering research to find new treatments and care pathways for NHS patients over the last year.

Dr. Rakesh Narendra Modi, from Monkfield Medical Practice, Cambridge, has been announced as winner of this year's Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) First5® Award, run jointly with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN).

The awards recognise GPs who demonstrate an emerging interest and experience in delivering NIHR CRN research within a primary care setting. They also include an award for best General Practice.

Dr Modi (pictured above, with Professor Amanda Howe, President of the RCGP) was recognised for his work on determining how best to screen for atrial fibrillation - which causes a fast and irregular heartbeat - on the SAFER trial, an NIHR CRN portfolio study.

On winning this prestigious award, Dr Modi said,

"I'm very grateful for this award that celebrates our work with a number of practices across our region, facilitated by an active CRN. The SAFER trial helps us test a new screening programme, allowing people to use cutting edge technology in their own homes across the region, and the UK."

Dr Aditya Nautiyal, a GP from Nene Valley Medical Practice in nearby Peterborough, also received a First5® Letter of Commendation at the awards.

Within their submissions, applicants had to demonstrate:

• the range and number of patients in NIHR CRN studies in the UK
• how patients have been engaged and informed of new opportunities to participate in NIHR CRN Portfolio research
• the contribution made to the delivery of studies
• innovative methods of study delivery

Since its inception in 2006, the NIHR has significantly increased the scale of clinical research in the NHS, particularly through NIHR CRN. The enthusiastic engagement of consultant and trainee doctors is an essential condition for sustaining and building on this success, particularly given the many competing demands on clinician time and resources. These awards aim to recognise outstanding contributions of NHS clinicians to the conduct of NIHR CRN Portfolio research studies.

Dr Imran Rafi of the RCGP judging panel said:

"The RCGP/NIHR-CRN awards are a perfect vehicle to shine a light on all the practices, practitioners and patients involved in research sited in primary care. What particularly comes through is the dedication, collaboration and hard work that is necessary to support research. We congratulate all who entered the award process including all the patients consenting to being involved in research. Congratulations to those receiving awards and letters of commendation. Well done!"

Dr Helen Macdonald, Chief Operating Officer for the NIHR’s Clinical Research Network in the Eastern region, said:

“Huge congratulations to Dr Modi and Dr Nautiyal for such well-deserved recognition they have received in these important awards. Our region is extremely proud to include such dedicated clinicians who strive to deliver research in our Primary Care community, particularly when we consider the challenges they have been faced with over the past year.”

For more information on the RCGP/NIHR Awards visit the NIHR website.