Our Research Commitment
The Parks Medical Practice is proud to be a fully accredited Research Ready Level 1 practice.
Our research activities are led by Dr. Azhar Zafar, supported by a dedicated team consisting of a Research Manager, Nurses, and Administrative Staff.
The team runs a wide range of research projects including both academic and commercial studies all conducted under the guidance and standards set by recognised ethics committees. This ensures that every study is carried out safely, responsibly, and in full compliance with strict ethical and data protection codes.
Welcome to the Primary Care Research Hub
Welcome to the Primary Care Research Hub the dedicated Research and Training Academy of Danes Camp Medical Centre, based in Northampton. The Hub serves as a centre of excellence for primary care research and medical education, supporting studies that address real-world healthcare challenges and improve outcomes for patients and communities.
Through collaboration with universities, research networks, and healthcare organisations, we aim to drive innovation, build research capacity, and promote evidence-based practice across Northamptonshire and beyond.
Learn More
To explore our ongoing research projects and updates, please visit:
👉 Danes Camp Research Academy
Patient Participation
Patients identified as potential research participants will always be fully informed about the study aims, procedures, and data use.
Participation is entirely voluntary, and informed consent will be obtained before any research data is collected or shared.
Patients have the right to decline or withdraw from a study at any time simply by informing the surgery of their decision with no impact on their ongoing care.
Patients have the right to decline or withdraw from a study at any time simply by informing the surgery of their decision with no impact on their ongoing care.
Anonymous Data Contribution
In addition to active research projects, The Parks Medical Practice contributes anonymous patient data to approved databases used for healthcare research.
The practice receives training and a nominal fee from the data management company to help maintain and improve data quality. These companies may share anonymised data with authorised researchers for approved research purposes only.
This data collection process has been approved by the Southeast Multi-centre Research Ethics Committee, which also oversees all research conducted using the data.
No individual patient can be identified outside of this practice. We believe this contribution is an important part of advancing healthcare research, with outcomes that will help improve patient care in the future.
Our Research Team
- Research Lead:Â Dr. Azhar Zafar
- Research Manager:Â Carina Scarlata
- Research Administrator / Co-ordinator:Â Aanish Shafique
- Research HCA:Â Isabella Soto-Vasquez
Training and Teaching
The Parks Medical Practice is also committed to the training and education of future healthcare professionals.
From time to time, our clinicians may have trainee doctors, registrars, or medical students working alongside them.
All trainees are bound by the same confidentiality rules as our permanent staff. You will always be informed if a student is present during your consultation and asked for your permission before they take part.