Gordon J Taylor

University of Exeter | UoE · Medical School

Background Mobility limitations in older populations have a substantial impact on health outcomes, quality of life, and social care costs. The Retirement in Action (REACT) randomised controlled trial assessed a 12-month community-based group physical activity and behaviour maintenance intervention to help prevent decline in physical functioning in...

Background Mobility limitations in old age can greatly reduce quality of life, generate substantial health and social care costs, and increase mortality. Through the Retirement in Action (REACT) trial, we aimed to establish whether a community-based active ageing intervention could prevent decline in lower limb physical functioning in older adults...

Introduction A mobile app, BlueIce, was codesigned with young people with a history of self-harm to provide them with more accessible and available evidence-based support at times of distress. A preliminary evaluation found that BlueIce was acceptable, safe and used by young people and helped to reduce self-harm. The present study is designed to as...

Background Rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected people with intellectual disability disproportionately. Existing data does not provide enough information to understand factors associated with increased deaths in those with intellectual disability. Establishing who is at high risk is important in developing prevention str...

Objectives Cancer survival rates vary widely between European countries, with differences in timeliness of diagnosis thought to be one key reason. There is little evidence on the way in which different healthcare systems influence primary care practitioners’ (PCPs) referral decisions in patients who could have cancer. This study aimed to explore PC...

Background Challenges of recruitment to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and successful strategies to overcome them should be clearly reported to improve recruitment into future trials. REtirement in ACTion (REACT) is a UK-based multi-centre RCT recruiting older adults at high risk of mobility disability to a 12-month group-based exercise and be...

Effective treatment of longstanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a challenge, as causal mechanisms remain elusive. People with CRPS frequently report distorted subjective perceptions of their affected limb. Evidence of pain reduction when the affected limb is visually altered in size, suggests that visual illusions used to target centra...

Background National European cancer survival rates vary widely. Prolonged diagnostic intervals are thought to be a key factor in explaining these variations. Primary care practitioners (PCPs) frequently play a crucial role during initial cancer diagnosis; their knowledge could be used to improve the planning of more effective approaches to earlier...

Background Cancer survival rates vary widely between European countries, with differences in timeliness of diagnosis thought to be one key reason. There is little evidence on the way in which different healthcare systems influence Primary Care Practitioners’ (PCPs’) referral decisions in patients that could have cancer, and how this links with canc...

Background Opioid substitution therapy involves prescribing of medical substitutes like methadone and buprenorphine to patients who are addicted to opioids. The majority of opioid substitution therapy dispensing in the UK is done by community pharmacists and they often see the patients on daily basis. It is unknown to what extent community pharmaci...

Objectives Cancer survival and stage of disease at diagnosis and treatment vary widely across Europe. These differences may be partly due to variations in access to investigations and specialists. However, evidence to explain how different national health systems influence primary care practitioners’ (PCPs’) referral decisions is lacking. This stud...

Background: There is wide variation in the overall one-year relative cancer survival rates across Europe, and this is thought to indicate national variations in stage of disease at diagnosis. However, there is little evidence to explain how different national systems influence a primary care practitioner's (PCP's) referral decisions, and how these...

Background The Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) questionnaire assesses whether learners prefer a deep, strategic or surface approach to learning. This study aimed to establish the effect of time since qualification, gender and work role on ASSIST scores of General Practitioners (GPs) and GP Specialist Trainees (GPSTs). M...

Background: The REtirement in ACTion (REACT) study is a multi-centre, pragmatic, two-arm, parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT) with an internal pilot phase. It aims to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a community, group-based physical activity intervention for reducing, or reversing, the progression of functional limita...

Background It is known that many trainee doctors around the world experience work satisfaction but also considerable work stress in the training period. Such stress seems to be linked to multiple factors including workload, level of support and growing cultural inculcation into unwillingness to show any personal or professional weakness. In the Uni...

Background: Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (ASBI) helps reduce risky drinking in adults, but less is known about its effectiveness with young people. This article explores implementation of DrinkThink, an ASBI co-produced with young people, by health, youth and social care professionals trained in its delivery. Methods: A qualitative e...

Aim: The purpose of this study was to document in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Barbados, attitudes and beliefs that may result in psychological insulin resistance. Methods: A representative, population-based, sample of 175 eligible people with T2DM 25 years of age and over was surveyed by telephone. The 20-item insulin treatment appraisal...

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Background: In the UK, evidence of written reflection is part of licensing and revalidation for general practitioners (GPs). However, there is little evidence of specific benefits compared to other forms of reflective practice. Aim: To seek GPs' and general practice (GP) trainees' views on the role of written reflection in learning and assessmen...

Objectives: A prospective, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial over 2 years was performed to test the efficacy of alendronate, an oral aminobisphosphonate, in improving symptoms and arrest disease progression in patients with mild to severe ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: 180 patients with AS were randomised to receive weekl...

Background: The insertion of grommets (also known as ventilation or tympanostomy tubes) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on children. Postoperative otorrhoea (discharge) is the most common complication with a reported incidence ranging from 10% to 50%. In the UK, many ENT surgeons treat with topical antibiotics/steroid combi...

Aims: With regards to insulin initiation in Barbados we explored primary care doctor (PCD) perception, healthcare system factors and predictors of PCD reluctance to initiate insulin. Methods: PCDs completed a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and a reluctance to initiate insulin scale. Using linear regression, we explo...

Background: Evaluations of school-based anxiety prevention programmes have reported improvements in psychological functioning although little is known about their effect upon educational outcomes. Methods: One thousand three hundred and sixty-two children from 40 primary schools in England took part in the randomised controlled trial, Preventing...

Background: The loss of GPs in the early stages of their careers is contributing to the GP workforce crisis. Recruitment in the UK remains below the numbers needed to support the demand for GP care. Aim: To explore the reasons why GPs leave general practice early. Design and setting: A mixed methods study using online survey data triangulated...

Anxiety in children is common, impairs everyday functioning and increases the risk of severe mental health disorders in adulthood, yet few children with anxiety are identified and referred for treatment. Objective To investigate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a universal school-based preventative programme (FRIENDS) in reduci...

In order to locally validate the technique, a retrospective review of a cohort of randomly selected single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone scans reconstructed with ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) and Evolution for Bone was undertaken. Thirty consecutive bone SPECT patient data sets (17 spine, nine pelvis, and four s...

Introduction Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an effective psychological intervention for children and young people with anxiety disorders (James et al, 2013). This has led to interest in whether CBT programmes can be widely provided in schools to prevent or ameliorate anxiety symptoms in children. Objective Results from school based anxiety p...

Background Process evaluation is important for improving theories of behavior change and behavioral intervention methods. The present study reports on the process outcomes of a pilot test of the theoretical model (the Process Model for Lifestyle Behavior Change; PMLBC) underpinning an evidence-informed, theory-driven, group-based intervention desig...

Background In the UK, thousands of people with high cardiovascular risk are being identified by a national risk-assessment programme (NHS Health Checks). Waste the Waist is an evidence-informed, theory-driven (modified Health Action Process Approach), group-based intervention designed to promote healthy eating and physical activity for people with...

Aim The aims of this study were twofold: (a) to explore whether specific components of shared decision making were present in consultations involving nurse prescribers (NPs), pharmacist prescribers (PPs) and general practitioners (GPs) and (b) to relate these to self-reported patient outcomes including satisfaction, adherence and patient perception...

Background In Britain, the tobacco industry segments cigarettes into four price categories—premium, mid-price, economy and ultra-low-price (ULP). Our previous work shows that tobacco companies have kept ULP prices stable in real terms. Roll your own (RYO) tobacco remains cheaper still. Methods Analysis of 2001–08 General Household Survey data to e...

Background Anxiety in children is common, impairs everyday functioning, and increases the risk of severe mental health disorders in adulthood. We investigated the effect of a classroom-based cognitive behaviour therapy prevention programme (FRIENDS) on anxiety symptoms in children. Methods Preventing Anxiety in Children though Education in Schools...

Anxiety in children is common and incapacitating and increases the risk of mental health disorders in adulthood. Although effective interventions are available, few children are identified and referred for specialist treatment. Alternative approaches in which prevention programmes are delivered in school appear promising. However, comparatively lit...

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a developing approach for chronic pain. The current study was designed to pilot test a brief, widely inclusive, local access format of ACT in a UK primary care setting. Seventy-three participants (68.5% women) were randomized to either ACT or treatment as usual (TAU). Many of the participants were aged 65...

Background Tobacco tax increases are the most effective means of reducing tobacco use and inequalities in smoking but effectiveness depends on transnational tobacco company (TTC) pricing strategies, specifically whether TTCs overshift tax increases (increase prices on top of the tax increase) or undershift the taxes (absorb the tax increases so the...

The opening solicitation is a key element of the primary care consultation as it enables patients to express their ideas, concerns and expectations that can lead to improved patient outcomes. However, in practice, this may not always occur. With nurses and pharmacists now able to prescribe, this research explored the opening solicitation in a multi...

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, may help meet a need for accessible and cost-effective treatments for chronic pain. ACT has a growing evidence base, but has not yet been tested within general practice settings. Aim The purpose of the present study was to examine the feasibility of conducting a full-s...

Aims: Tobacco tax increases are the most effective means of reducing tobacco use and inequalities in smoking, but effectiveness depends on transnational tobacco company (TTC) pricing strategies, specifically whether TTCs overshift tax increases (increase prices on top of the tax increase) or undershift the taxes (absorb the tax increases so they a...

Objective: Recognising patients' cues and concerns is an important part of patient centred care. With nurses and pharmacists now able to prescribe in the UK, this study compared the frequency, nature, and professionals' responses to patient cues and concerns in consultations with GPs, nurse prescribers and pharmacist prescribers. Methods: Audio-...

AimsTo introduce an ‘opt out’ referral pathway for smoking cessation in pregnancy and to compare different methods for identifying pregnant smokers in maternity care. DesignPilot study that analysed routine data from maternity and smoking cessation services with biochemical validation of smoking status. SettingDudley and South Birmingham, England....

Background Emotional problems such as anxiety and low mood in children are common, impair everyday functioning and increase the risk of severe mental health disorders in adulthood. Relatively few children with emotional health problems are identified and referred for treatment indicating the need to investigate preventive approaches. Methods/Desig...

Objectives: To assess the changes in physical activity in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over 6months after pulmonary rehabilitation. Design: Prospective, observational study. Activity was measured over 2-day periods at the end of rehabilitation, and repeated every 6weeks for 6months using the ActivPAL uni-axial acceleromete...

The pathology of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) suggests that certain cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might provide useful markers of disease activity. Serum levels of some cytokines and MMPs have been found to be elevated in active disease, but there is a general lack of information about biomarker profiles in AS and how these are rela...

Table S2 presenting correlations between clinical measures and MMP-3 and MMP-8 levels measured by ELISA in ankylosing spondylitis patients at baseline.

Table S1 presenting correlations between clinical measures and biomarkers in ankylosing spondylitis patients at baseline.

Table S3 presenting alternative multiple regression models showing variables associated with the BASDAI and BAS-G at baseline.

Table S4 presenting levels of individual biomarkers comprising principal component 3 stratified by pack-year category.

Table S5 presenting a comparison of MMP levels in patient clusters with low or high MMP levels as selected by hierarchical cluster analysis.

Introduction and Objectives Performance status assessment in lung cancer patients is essential to assess prognosis and plan management. Inter observer variability has been documented between oncologists, their patients and other professionals (Blagden et al 2003). No study has previously examined whether this variability also exists between respira...

Professional status and working arrangements can inhibit doctors from acknowledging and seeking care for their own ill health. Research identifies that a culture of immunity to illness within the medical profession takes root during training. What happens when trainee doctors become unwell during their formative period of education and training? Wh...

To identify an evidence-based intervention to promote changes in diet and physical activity and adapt it for a UK primary care setting for people with high cardiovascular risk. A three-stage mixed-methods design was used to facilitate a strategic approach to programme selection and adaptation. Stage 1: Criteria for scientific quality and local appr...

Introduction After pulmonary rehabilitation activity levels gradually decline, on average, back to baseline over 12–18 months. The NHS has highlighted the value of peer support for patients with chronic disease, but this has not been fully evaluated in patients with COPD. Therefore we designed an observational study with the aim of exploring and as...

To determine whether the mortality in a cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) from a single center in the UK is significantly different from the general UK population. Patients who were entered onto the PsA database at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, between 1985 and 2007 were included in this study. Informatio...

The discrepancy between the occurrence of disease and the risk of consulting a doctor is well known, but whether or not it is socially governed is uncertain and could have important implications for primary care manpower and resource allocation. The aim of the study was to investigate whether (i) reported occurrence of common symptoms in infancy an...

Knowledge of the position of one's limbs is an essential component of daily function and relies on complex interactions of sensorimotor body schema-related information. Those with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) express difficulty in knowing where their affected limb is positioned. The aim of this study was to determine the degree to which ex...

To explore trends in and predictors of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in children. To identify whether inequalities in SHS exposure are changing over time. Repeated cross-sectional study with data from eight annual surveys conducted over an 11-year period from 1996 to 2006. England. Nationally representative samples of children aged 4-15 years li...

Ethical guidance from the British Medical Association (BMA) about treating doctor-patients is compared and contrasted