Professor John Campbell

About me:

Prior to appointment as Foundation Professor of General Practice and Primary Care in Peninsula Medical School (Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, 2002), John was a senior clinical lecturer at King’s College London, and previously clinical lecturer in Edinburgh.

John led the development of Academic Primary Care in the South West Peninsula from 2002. His personal research interests focus on improving access to, and patient experience of, Primary Care. This includes undertaking research into the recruitment and retention of GPs in the NHS workforce, and in investigating new approaches to providing consultations with patients - for example using web-based, online, and video consulting. He and his team undertake clinical research focussing on risk of heart disease and stroke, and mental health disorders in primary care. John was Director of APEx (2016-2024) - a University based, primary-care focussed research collaborative investigating a wide range of research interests relevant to primary care, including the early diagnosis of cancer, and the experience of care as reported by patients and their families who are living with cancer. He was also Foundation Director of the NIHR School for Primary Care Research (Exeter 2021-2024), an NIHR funded collaborative of nine leading departmenst of academic general practice and primary care in England. He is a member of the ERICA team, investigating the use of online algorithm-based risk assessment of cancer in primary care patients.

John works closely with colleagues across the University, in other Universities, and in the NHS. All of his research has, as its central focus, the care of patients. Je has been involved in setting national priorities for research, and was an adviser to NHS England and the Department of Health regarding the monitoring of the quality of primary care, provided leadership to a team of around 85 people. John has held national academic roles in respect of the UK National Institute of Health Research and the South West Regional Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards for Senior Doctors, and Chaired the UK Heads of Departments Group (Society for Academic Primary Care). John is a fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners. He obtained his doctorate in 1998 (MD) ‘The Accessibility of UK Primary Medical Care: Problems, Practice and Potential’. He has published around 370 papers and reports in major academic journals.

John's work, and the contribution of his research team, family, and colleagues, was recognised in the 2020 Queen's New Year's Honours List with the award of an MBE. He retired from the University of Exeter in August 2024, with ongoing Emeritus status.

Interests:
Broad Research Specialisms

Access,Quality, Primary Care, Patient Experience.

John is currently chief investigator on a NIHR (HS&DR) funded study examining issues relating to the recruitment and retention of GPs - the ReGROUP study.

John recently jointly-led a UK NIHR funded programme on improving patient experience in Primary Care, undertaken in conjunction with Professor Martin Roland (University of Cambridge Centre for Health Services Research). Much of that work focuses on the utility of the English General Practice Patient Survey, the largest routine survey of Primary Care undertaken in the world. John was involved in the design of the study, and continues to advise both Ipsos Mori and the UK Department of Health on the roll-out and implications of the findings.

John led research providing evidence around the use of multi-source feedback (360 Appraisal) for the UK General Medical Council. UK doctors are subject to an ongoing process of revalidation (since 2012) and research led by John Campbell has informed the design and delivery of the related processes.

John has important ongoing work undertaken in conjunction with Associate Professor Chris Clark examining the potential role of an inter-arm difference in blood pressure as a possible marker of early vascular disease.

Finally, John has undertaken research into the diagnosis and management of depression in Primary Care settings, identifying the lack of added effect of exercise beyond the provision of routine primary care, and providing important evidence in respect of the role of cognitive behavioural therapy for patients who have proved to be resistant to treatment for depression.

Qualifications:

MBE, FRCGP, MD, MBChB, BSc (Pathology)

@profjcampbell

Career:

Clinical Lecturer (Edinburgh) 1987-1993

Clinical Senior Lecturer (Kings College London) 1994-2001

Professor of General Practice and Primary Care (Exeter) from 2002

Associate Dean for Research (overseeeing REF2021 for College of Medicine and Health) 2019