What is PACT?
PACT is a collaborative research network of enthusiastic primary care team members who want to participate in high impact projects and learn more about research. Established in 2019, PACT now has over 1,000 members across the United Kingdom and is continuing to grow.
Watch our video to learn more about PACT
“I thought research was only for established academics and that I was too junior to be part of it, but now I realise all you need to start is curiosity. PACT is a great way to develop that curiosity and get involved with research.”
Bilal Salman - PACT Member, GP Trainee (West Midlands)
You are PACT
PACT members are medical students, junior doctors, GP trainees, qualified GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, physician associates, pharmacists, paramedics, and all other allied healthcare professional roles from across the UK.
We want all current and future primary care team members to join PACT so that findings of PACT projects are as representative as possible and to provide more opportunities to engage in research.
“I’m very excited about being involved with the PACT model which feels relevant and accessible, working with like-minded peers to pose and answer clinical questions that affect ourselves, and our patients, day-to-day.”
Marcus Stevens - PACT Member, GP Trainee (Bath)
PACT members deliver national primary care research
PACT empowers its members to gain first-hand experience in large multi-centre PACT research projects and supports them through the data collection process.
By participating in a PACT project, PACT members have the opportunity to become a published author in research journals and conference presentations (see the PACT Authorship Policy for more details).
We aim to launch a new PACT project every year, with the research question informed by engaging with PACT members and discussions with the PACT committee and PACT Senior Advisory Board.
You can also optionally become a PACT Champion and take on a voluntary leadership role within their practices for a PACT project that they are participating in.
“Research is vital to medicine and to providing the best possible care for our patients… PACT is a great way to tackle this head on.”
Sarah Moore - PACT Member, GP (Devon)
PACT members improves patient care locally
PACT facilitates simultaneous quality improvement projects in participating practises. Upon completion of a PACT project practices are given a PACT practice report, showing their own results benchmarked against other PACT members across the country.
PACT members can then immediately develop and start their own personal local quality improvement projects and compare and contrast their practises to others in the UK.
In this way, PACT projects can improve patient care more rapidly than conventional research methodology.
Publications and communications
Duncan, P., Watson, J., Bennett-Britton, I., Burrell, A., Payne, R., Silverwood, V., Whitehead, O., Waqar, S., Winn, E., Merriel, S.W.D., 2023. Primary care research for all: two proof-of-concept studies using the Primary care Academic CollaboraTive (PACT) network. SAPC Annual Scientific Meeting. [Presentation]
Duncan, P., Payne, R.A. and Merriel, S., 2020. A new collaborative model of primary care research: could it provide trainees and clinicians with more opportunities to get involved?. British Journal of General Practice, 70(698), pp.430-4 [Publication]
PACT receives funding and support from
NIHR School for Primary Care Research
NIHR Clinical Research Network (West of England)
Society for Academic Primary Care (Special Interest Group)