A DOCTOR'S surgery has won a £100,000 grant to fund research into diabetes and iron deficiency anaemia.

Dr Thiet Duong and his primary health care team, based at Pringle Street Surgery, Blackburn, have been awarded £50,000 a year for two years by a North West Regional NHS Executive initiative called SPREAD - Stimulate Practice-based Research and Development.

The initiative aims to provide primary health care teams with better evidence to improve the health of their patients.

Dr Duong said: "As a small, single handed practice we are delighted by our success, as we are one of only eight practices across the North West to be awarded research funding from this initiative.

"We hope our research into diabetes and iron deficiency anaemia will help improve services and the health of local people. "

The practice has 2,000 patients, 60 per cent of whom are from the Asian sub-continent.

Co-ordinator of the diabetes project, research nurse Sheila Williamson, said: "We have chosen projects which are relevant to the health needs of our practice population.

"Diabetes is a health problem that affects a significant proportion of our patients. Our project will, therefore, focus on adults registered at the Pringle Street surgery who have a family history of diabetes." Research dietician Vanessa Hollings, who is co-ordinating research into iron deficiency anaemia, said: "Iron deficiency is common within our pre-school children. We are hoping the project will help us understand the underlying causes and identify risk factors.

"The early detection of children at risk could help prevent iron deficiency and the associated developmental problems."

The funding allows both co-ordinators to work part-time on the project and supports the appointment of a part-time family doctor, Tracy Lunt.

Dr Lunt contributes to the research project and carries out surgeries to allow Dr Duong more time to work on the research.

Practice nurse Stephanie Moodie, who is closely involved with both projects, said: "The funding has been invaluable in terms of allowing preparation and training in research skills.

"We are expected to share our experiences with other primary health care professionals and, eventually, to publish our findings."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.