Dr Jessica Watson
BSc(Bristol), MBChB(Bristol), MRCGP(RCGP)
Expertise
I am a GP and researcher. I study the way doctors use blood tests in primary care and how they share test results with patients.
Current positions
NIHR Clinical Lecturer in General Practice
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Contact
Press and media
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Biography
I studied medicine at Bristol University from 1999-2005 and qualified as a General Practitioner in 2016. I am currently funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) as an Academic Clinical Lecturer. I spend 3 days a week at the University doing research and teaching and 2 days a week as an NHS General Practitioner.
My research uses a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods to answer questions about when doctors should use blood tests, how they should interpret results, and how to share information about tests with patients. My recent work has focussed on the use of blood tests called inflammatory markers.
Research interests
I am a General Practitioner and NIHR Funded Academic Clinical Lecturer. I am also Chair of the Primary care Academic CollaboraTive (PACT) and a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners.
I have received three consecutive personal National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Fellowships including a Academic Clinical Fellowship, Doctoral Fellowship and Academic Clinical Lecturer awards, and have been involved in the delivery of >£2M of research funding. In 2022 I was awarded the Society for Academic Primary Care Doctoral Award and the North American Primary Care Research Group 'Distinguished Paper' prize. In 2024 I was Scientific Chair of the Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) Annual Conference in Bristol.
My research uses a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods to answer questions about when doctors should use blood tests, how they should interpret results, and how to share information about tests with patients. Three of my publications have featured in the British Journal of General Practice 'Top 10' papers. My research has been featured on BBC Radio 4 'More or Less' and on ITV live national news, and I have done Podcasts with the BMJ, BJGP, NBMedical and the RCGP.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Accessible Results: enabling patients with diverse needs to access and understand their blood test results online
Principal Investigator
Description
BACKGROUND NHS England has rolled out online access to test results for patients via the NHS App. Blood tests are the most common type of test requested in primary care.…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (PHS)Dates
02/09/2024 to 31/08/2026
Chair of the Primary care Academic CollaboraTive (PACT)
Principal Investigator
Description
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…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (PHS)Dates
01/02/2023 to 31/01/2026
Test Talk Tools: A mixed-methods systematic review to identify interventions to improve blood test communication in primary care
Principal Investigator
Description
Blood tests are commonly used in general practice. Understanding blood tests is important for patients to help them to become partners in their care and manage their health. It is…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (PHS)Dates
01/10/2022 to 30/09/2024
Developing evidence based optimal testing strategies to monitor long term conditions in primary care
Role
Co-Principal Investigator
Description
BACKGROUND Most patients with long term conditions (LTC) are managed in primary care; regular blood tests assess disease progression, treatment response, complications, and associated diseases. There is no robust evidence…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (PHS)Dates
01/06/2021 to 31/08/2026
Publications
Selected publications
12/05/2020Practice pointer
BMJ
Use of multiple inflammatory marker tests in primary care
British Journal of General Practice
Blood tests in primary care
Health Expectations
Recent publications
18/02/2025Anaemia, ethnicity and cancer incidence
British Journal of General Practice
Testing and cancer diagnosis in general practice
BMJ Quality and Safety
Association between patient ethnicity and prostate cancer diagnosis following a prostate-specific antigen test: a cohort study of 730,000 men in primary care in the UK
BMC Medicine
Communicating blood test results in primary care
British Journal of General Practice
Exploring ethnic differences in the distribution of blood test results in healthy adult populations to inform earlier cancer detection
Family Practice
Thesis
The diagnostic utility of inflammatory markers in primary care
Supervisors
Award date
28/09/2021
Related people
Professor Alastair Hay
Professor of Primary Care
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Dr Jonathan Banks
Senior Research Fellow (Qualitative Research)
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Professor Penny Whiting
Professor of Clinical Epidemiology
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Dr Sam Merriel
Honorary Senior Research Fellow
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Dr Martha Elwenspoek
Research Fellow in Test Evaluation
Bristol Medical School (PHS)