This ESRC-funded three year project led by Prof Susan Kelly (SPA and Egenis, University of Exeter) will examine re-contact in current clinical practice in the NHS; legal contexts and relevant guidelines; ethical issues; and expectations of patients and health professionals. The study will investigate the hypothesis that mainstreaming genomics in healthcare should be understood as a social as well as a technological process, and that professional subcultures across specialties will vary with regard to norms and expectations concerning re-contacting patients. It will evaluate the applicability of a model of technological innovation within health systems developed by sociologist Carl May (Normalisation Process Theory), although it may result in development of an alternative approach.
The outcomes of this project will extend understanding of the implications of rapid innovation in and mainstreaming of genomics for health professionals, patients and families, as well as contribute more broadly to understanding implementation processes in health care. The data and analysis generated will provide robust evidence to inform the development of an ethical and professional framework on recontacting patients as genomic technologies are increasingly integrated across areas of medical care.
Prof Anneke Lucassen is the local principal investigator and Dr Sandi Dheensa the lead research fellow at University of Southampton. If you would like to take part or if you have any queries, please contact Sandi at S.Dheensa@southampton.ac.uk or on 023 8120 5082.
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