Professor David Weller

James MacKenzie Professor, and Head of Section

Tel: 0131 650 2807
Fax: (0131) 650 9519
David.Weller@ed.ac.uk

Role

• Head of General Practice Department

Teaching Responsibilities

Undergraduate

• Involvement is principally in Years 4 and 5 of the curriculum

Postgraduate

• Course Co-ordinator, Module on Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis in Master of Public Health Research Programme
• Supervisor for Master, PhD and MD students

Research Interests

My main research interests are in cancer, 'medically unexplained symptoms', and evidence-based primary care. My work in cancer focuses on the role of primary care in screening, early diagnosis and management. The main emphasis of the work on medically unexplained symptoms has so far been on patients who are frequently referred from primary to secondary care - we are interested in developing new ways of responding to the needs of these individuals.

Current Research Involvement

• Evaluation of the second round of screening in the UK Pilot of CRC Screening. Weller D, Campbell C, Moss S, Campbell H, Parker R. Research & Development Directorate, Department of Health (UK).
• Complex intervention to improve informed choice in PSA testing in Scottish primary care: pilot study. Weller D, Campbell C, Jepson R, Kendall M, Moss S, Melia J. A. Chief Scientist's Office (Scotland).
• Evaluation of the third round of screening in the English CRC screening pilot. Weller D, Campbell C, Parker R et al. NHS Cancer Screening Services.
• Follow-up of cancers in primary care versus secondary care - systematic review. Neal R, Wilkinson C, Russell D, Stuart N, Weller D et al. Cancer Research UK.
• Establishing the potential for primary care to tackle social inequalities in established colorectal cancer. Campbell N, Macleod U, Weller D, Mitchell E, Worth A, Johnston M, Ryan M.
• The Edinburgh SMaRT oncology programme (programme grant). Sharpe M, Murray G, Weller D.
• What is the optimal role for primary health care in the follow-up of patients with prostate cancer? Campbell C & Weller D (joint PI's), Rose P, Watson E, Neal R, Wilkinson C
• Strategies to increase colorectal cancer screening uptake in primary care. Weller D, Campbell C, Szczepura A, Orbell S, Steele R, Parker R. National Institute of Health (US)
• Complex interventions in supportive and palliative care: development, evaluation and implementation. Sharpe M, Murray S, Weller D, Sheikh A, Higginson I, Ramirez et al. National Cancer Research Institute.

Other Responsibilities/Activities

• October 2002 - Chair, Primary Care Clinical Studies Development Group, National Cancer Research Institute, UK
  This is a national group which oversees primary care & cancer research capacity-building
• June 2006 - Head, School of Clinical Sciences and Community Health
  The School encompasses over one third of the university's medical research and teaching - one of only 4 'mega-departments' in our College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine. It comprises 5 Rsearch Centres, 4 Divisions and a Postgraduate Dental Institute; it has over 250 academic staff and an annual research expenditure of £14m School programme.

Further Information

Work History

Previous Appointments

1990-1994	NH&MRC Public Health Training Fellow University of Adelaide and Department of Health Medicine & Epidemiology University of Nottingham
1995-2000	Senior Lecturer and Head of Department (from 1999) Department of General Practice, School of Medicine, Flinders University of South Australia

Appointed to University of Edinburgh

2000-current	James Mackenzie Professor & Head of Department, Department of General Practice
2006-current	Head, School of Clinical Sciences & Community Health

Education

1983	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Adelaide
1989	Fellowship, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
1991	Masters of Public Health, University of Adelaide
1993	Fellowship, Faculty of Public Health Medicine, Royal Australian College of Physicians
1995	Doctor of Philosophy, University of Adelaide
2001	Membership, Royal College of General Practitioners
2006	Fellowship, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Selected grants

• The influence of a negative FOBT on the response of screening invitees and healthcare providers to symptoms of colorectal cancer ('National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative' - consortium including CR-UK, DH and ESRC, 2011-2014) Weller D & Campbell C (joint PI's), Patnick J, Moss S, Melia J, Smith S, Orbell S, Steele R, Olesen F
• Public perceptions of cancer screening. (Cancer Research UK, 2011-2012) Campbell C, Wardle J, Waller J, Simon A, von Wagner C, Weller D
• Why do some patients present with thicker melanomas? A qualitative exploration of patients' symptom detection, help-seeking decisions, and experiences of the pathways to diagnosis. ('National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative' - consortium including CR-UK, DH and ESRC, 2011-2013) Walter F, Scott S, Burrows N, Kavanagh G, Mackie R, Campbell C, Emery J, Weller D (CI University of Cambridge)
• In-depth exploration of the impact of the new Scottish Palliative Care DES on patient care. (Scottish Government Living and Dying Well, 2009-2010) Campbell C, Weller D, Murray S.
• Testing the feasibility of nicotine assisted reduction to stop in pharmacies. The RedPharm Study. (Medical Research Council (MRC) , 2009-2012) Aveyard P, Bridson R, Coleman T, Etter J, MacAskill S, Weller D.
• Proposal to establish a Consensus Working Group on definitions and methods in early cancer diagnosis research. (Cancer Research UK;National Awareness and Early Diagnosis initiative, 2009-2010) Weller D, Rubin G, Hamilton W, Olesen F, Vedsted P, Campbell C, Emery J, Walter F
• Testing the feasibility of nicotine assisted reduction to stop in pharmacies. The RedPharm Study. (Medical Research Council (MRC), 2009-2012) Aveyard P, Bridson R, Coleman T, Etter J, MacAskill S, Weller D (CI University of Birmingham)
• The Scottish Cervical cancer Prevention Programme: Assessing and modelling the impact of HPV 16/18 immunisation on the performance of current cervical screening performance and the effectiveness of alternative cervical screening strategies to optimise cancer prevention in the HPV immunisation era. (Chief Scientist's Office, 2009-2014) Cruickshank M, Campbell C, Choi Y, Cubie H, Cuschieri K, Donaghy M, Imrie J, Robertson C, Sullivan F, McNamee P, Weller D (CI University of Aberdeen)
• In-depth exploration of the impact of the new Scottish Palliative Care DES on patient care. (Scottish Government Living and Dying Well, 2009-2010) Campbell C, Weller D, Murray S
• The value of positron emission tomography (PET) in pre-operative staging of colorectal cancer (NIHR HTA Programme, 2009-2010) Weller, Brush, Campbell, Chappell, Crawford, Dozier, Dunlop, Fenwick, Glanville
• Multiple Medically Unexplained Symptoms: identification of patients in primary care and pilot of GP with special interest intervention. (Chief Scientist Office, 2009-2010) Burton C, Worth A, Weller D
• What is the optimal role for primary care in the management and follow-up of patients with lung cancer? (National Cancer Research Institute, 2008-2010) Weller D, Murray S, Campbell C, Neal R, Rose P
• Developing the Infrastructure for Primary Care in Malawi. (Scottish Executive: International Development Fund, 2007-2008) Weller D, Murray S, Gillies J, Logie D, Grant A
• Establishing a Bowel Screening Research Unit. (Chief Scientist's Office (Scotland), 2007-2010) Steele RJC, Fraser CG, Kenicer MB, Carey FA, Morton C, Black R, Brewster D, Walker A, Weller DP (CI Department of Surgery and Molecular Oncology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School)
• What is the optimal role for primary health care in the follow-up of patients with prostate cancer? (Cancer Research UK, 2006-2008) Weller D, Campbell C, Rose P, Watson E, Neal R, Wilkinson C
• The Edinburgh SMaRT oncology programme. (Programme Grant, 2006-2011) Sharpe M, Murray G, Weller D
• Evaluation of the third round of screening in the third round of screening in the English CRC screening pilot. (NHS Cancer Screening Services, 2006-2008) Weller D, Campbell C, Parker R
• A complex intervention to improve informed choice in PSA testing in Scottish Primary Care: Pilot study. (Chief Scientist's Office, 2006-2008) Weller D, Campbell C, Jepson R, Kendall M, Moss S, Melia J
• Strategies to increase colorectal cancer screening uptake in primary care. (National Institute of Health US, 2005-2007) Weller D, Campbell C, Szczepura A, Orbell S, Steele R, Parker R
• Complex interventions in supportive and palliative care: development, evaluation and implementation (National Cancer Research Institute, 2005-2010) Sharpe M, Richardson A, Ramirez A, Higginson I, Velikova G, Murray SA, Stark D, Weller D, Sheikh A, Brown J, Fallon M
• Follow-up of cancers in primary care versus secondary care -systematic review. (Cancer Research UK, 2004-2007) Neal R, Wilkinson C, Russell D, Stuart N, Weller D
• Working with patients and their carers to develop an effective approach to the delivery of cancer care in primary care. (Jointly funded by the Scottish Executive, Health Department and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, 2003-2006) Murray SA, Kendall M, Held S, Boyd K, Fife S, Grant R, Campbell C, Weller D

Selected publications

• Burton C, Weller D, Marsden W, Worth A, Sharpe M. A primary care symptoms clinic for patients with medically unexplained symptoms: pilot randomised trial. BMJ Open 2012; 2:e000513
• Crawford F, McIntosh H, Dozier M, Brush J, Glanville J, Dunlop M, Renahan A, Weller D, Chappell FM. FDG PET-CT Imaging for pre-operative staging in patients with colorectal cancer. The Cochrane Library Issue 2 2012 [Protocol]
• Campbell C, Anandan C, Appleton S, Elton R, Patnick J, Weller D. Avoiding inappropriate invitations to cancer screening programmes: the role of primary care. Journal of Medical Screening 2011 18:12-17.
• Watson E, O'Brien R, Campbell C, Weller D, Neal R, Wilkinson C, Rose P on behalf of the Prostate Cancer Follow-Up Study Group. The push towards primary care: views of health professionals on the role of primary care in the follow-up of men with prostate cancer. Fam Prac 2011; 0:1-8 DOI Link
• Moss SM, Campbell C, Melia J, Coleman D, Smith S, Parker R, Ramsell P, Patnick J, Weller DP. Performance measures in three rounds of the English Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot. Gut (in press)
• Burton C, McGorm K, Weller D, Sharpe M. Depression and anxiety in patients repeatedly referred to secondary care with medically unexplained symptoms: a case-control study. Psychol Med. 2011 Mar;41(3):555-63.
• Brush J, Boyd K, Chappell F, Crawford F, Dozier M, Fenwick E, Glanville J, McIntosh H, Renehan A, Weller D, Dunlop M. The value of positron-emission tomography-computerised tomography (PET-CT) in pre-operative staging of colorectal cancer. Health Technology Assessment 2011; Vol 15: No 35 DOI Link
• Steele RJC, Kostourou I, McClements P, Watling C, Libby G, Weller D, Brewster DH, Black R, Carey FA, Fraser C. Repeated invitations increase uptake in a FOBT-based colorectal cancer screening programme: insights from analysis of prevalence and incidence screening. BMJ 2010 Oct 27;341:c5531. DOI Link
• Steele RJ, Kostourou I, McClements P, Watling C, Libby G, Weller D, Brewster DH, Black R, Carey FA, Fraser C. Effect of gender, age and deprivation on key performance indicators in a FOBT-based colorectal screening programme. J Med Screen. 2010 Jun;17(2):68-74.
• McGorm K, Burton C, Weller D, Murray G, Sharpe M. Patients repeatedly referred to secondary care with symptoms unexplained by organic disease: prevalence, characteristics and referral pattern. Fam Pract 2010; 27(5): 479-486. DOI Link
• Burton C, McGorm K, Richardson G, Weller D, Sharpe M. Healthcare Costs Incurred By Patients Repeatedly Referred To Secondary Care with Medically Unexplained Symptoms: A Case Control Study. Psychol Med. (in press).
• Weller D. GPs can play a greater role in management of prostate cancer. NICE Guidelines in Practice. 2010; 13(7):35-39.
• O'Brien R, Rose P, Campbell C, Weller D, Neal R, Wilkinson C, Mcintosh H, Watson E. I wish I'd told them: a qualitative study examining the unmet psychosexual needs of prostate cancer patients during follow-up after treatment. Patient Educ Couns 2010; 84(2):200-207.
• Weller D. Diagnosing colorectal cancer in primary care. BMJ Editorial; 31;340:c1714
• O'Brien R, Rose PW, Campbell C, Weller D, Neal RD, Wilkinson C, Watson EK. Prostate Cancer Follow-up Group. Experiences of follow-up after treatment in patients with prostate cancer: a qualitative study. BJU Int (in press)
• Burton C, Heath R, Weller D, Sharpe M. Evidence of Reduced Complexity in Self-report Data from Patients with Medically Unexplained Symptoms. Nonlinear Dynamics Psychol Life Sci; 14(1):15-26
• Weller D, Campbell C, Orbell S, Szczepura A, Gumber A, Parker R, Steele RJC, Walker A. Primary Care based strategies to increase uptake of colorectal cancer screening. Report to the NIH Colorectal cancer screening in primary care practice Programme.
• Weller D, Moss S, Melia J, Coleman D, Worth A, Campbell C. Evaluation of the 3rd Round of the English bowel cancer screening Pilot. Report to the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes.
• Weller DP, Campbell C. Uptake in cancer screening programmes: a priority in cancer control. Br J Cancer 2009; 101: S55-S59 DOI Link
• Weller D, Colorectal cancer screening and rural Australian communities. Aust J Rural Health 2009; Editorial DOI Link
• Smith BJ, McGorm KJ, Weller D, Burton C, Sharpe M. The identification in primary care of patients who have been repeatedly referred to hospital for medically unexplained symptoms: A pilot study. J Psychosom Res 2009; 67(3): 207-211
• Weller D, Patnick J, McIntosh H, Dietrich A. Uptake in cancer screening programmes. Lancet Onc 2009;10(7):693-99
• Lewis RA, Neal RD, Williams NH, France B, Hendry M, Russell D, Hughes DA, Russell I, Stuart NSA, Weller D, Wilkinson C. Follow-up of cancer in primary care versus secondary care: systematic review. Br J Gen Pract 2009: 59 (564):525-532
• Lewis RA, Neal RD, Hendry M, France B, Williams NH, Russell D, Hughes DA, Russell I, Stuart NSA, Weller D, Wilkinson C. Patients' and healthcare professionals' views of cancer follow-up: systematic review. Br J Gen Pract 2009; 59(564):533-540
• McIntosh HM, Neal RD, Rose P, Watson E, Wilkinson C, Weller D, Campbell C. Follow-up care for men with prostate cancer and the role of primary care: a systematic review of international guidelines. BJC 2009; 100 (12):1852-1860
• Robertson L, Lee AJ, Gallagher K, Carmichael SJ, Evans CJ, McKinstry BH, Fraser SCA, Allan PL, Weller D, Ruckley CV, Fowkes FG. Risk factors for chronic ulceration in patients with varicose veins: A case control study. J Vasc Surg 2009; 49(6):1490-1498
• Weller D, Campbell C. The role of Primary Care in the early detection and follow up of prostate cancer. The NAPC Review Spring 2009: 119-120
• Techer L, Campbell C, Weller D, Orbell, S, Szepura A, Gumber A. Strategies to improve uptake of colorectal cancer screening in South Asian and lower income groups-a qualitative study. Psychooncology 2009; 18(3):310-311
• Lewis R, Neal RD, Williams NH, France B, Wilkinson C, Hendry M, Russell D, Russell I, Hughes DA, Stuart NSA, Weller D. Nurse-led vs. conventional physician-led follow-up for patients with cancer: systematic review. J Adv Nurs 2009; 65(4), 706-723. DOI Link
• Burton C, Weller D, Sharpe, M(2009)Functional Somatic Symptoms and Psychological States: An Electronic Diary Study. Psychosomatic Medicine 71:77-83
• Orbell S, O'Sullivan I, Parker R, Steele B, Campbell C, Weller D. Illness representations and coping following an abnormal colorectal cancer screening result. Soc Sci Med 2008;67(9):1465-74. Epub 2008 Aug 6.
• Weller DP, Harris MF. Cancer care: what role for the general practitioner? Med J Aust 2008;189(2):59-60
• Murray SA, Boyd K, Campbell C, Cormie P, Thomas K, Weller D, Kendall M. Implementing a service users' framework for cancer care in primary care: an action research study. Family Practice 2008; doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmn011 Link
• Mitchell E, Macdonald S, Campbell NC, Weller D, Macleod U (2008) Influences on pre-hospital delay in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer: a systematic review. British Journal of Cancer: 98: 60-70 Link
• Jepson R, Thomson A, Hewitson J, Weller D (2007) Patient perspectives on information and choice in cancer screening: a qualitative study in the UK. Social Science & Medicine: Vol 65 (iss 5): 890-899 Link
• Weller D, Coleman D, Robertson R, Butler P, Melia J, Campbell C, Parker R, Patnick J, Moss S (2007) The UK colorectal cancer screening pilot: results of the second round of screening in England. British Journal of Cancer 97(12): 1601-1605
• Wattchow DA, Weller DP, EstermanA, Pilotto LS, McGorm K, Hammett Z, Platell C, Silagy C (2006) General practice versus surgical based follow-up for patients with colon cancer: Randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Cancer: 94:1116-1121 Link
• Macdonald S, Macleod U, Campbell N, Weller D, Mitchell E (2006) Systematic review of factors influencing patient and practitioner delay in diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal cancer. British Journal of Cancer: 94:1272-1280 Link
• McLernon D, Donnan PT, Sullivan F, Gray M, Weller D (2006) Receiver operating characteristics of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test in an unselected population. Journal of Medical Screening: 13:102-7 Link
• Weller D (2006) Workforce substitution and primary care. Medical Journal of Australia: 185 : 8-9 Link
• Weller D (2006) Colorectal cancer in primary care. British Medical Journal: 333: 54-55 Link
• Zwar NA, Weller DP, McCloughan L , Traynor V (2006) Supporting research in primary care: are practice-based research networks the missing link?. The Medical Journal of Australia 185: 110-113 Link
• Weller D, Campbell C (2006) Early lung cancer detection: The role of primary care. Primary Care Respiratory Journal: 15: 323-5 DOI Link
• Kendall M, Boyd K, Campbell C, Cormie P, Fife S, Thomas K, Weller D & Murray SA. How do people with cancer wish to be cared for in primary care? Serial discussion groups of patients and carers. Family Practice 2006; 23:644-650. Link
• Robertson R, Campbell C, Weller DP, Elton R, Mant D, Primrose J, Macleod U, Sharma R. Predicting colorectal cancer risk in patients with rectal bleeding. Br J Gen Pract 2006; 56(531):763-767.
• Jamrozik K, Weller DP, Heller RF (2005) Rural health turned upside-down. Medical Journal of Australia: 182(4):152-3 Link
• Jepson RG, Hewison J, Thompson AGH, Weller D (2005) How should we measure informed choice? The case of cancer screening. Journal of Medical Ethics: 31:192-196 Link
• Jamrozik K, Heller RF, Weller DP (2005) The woefully wired world of health service computing. Health services need state-of-the-art health information systems. Medical Journal of Australia: 182: 556 Link
• Weller DP (2005) Does academic general practice have a future?. Medical Journal of Australia: 183: 92-3 Link
• Price J, Campbell C, Sells J, Weller D, Campbell H. Impact of UK Colorectal Screening Pilot on Hospital Services. Public Health 2005: 27: 246 - 53
• Jepson R, Weller D, Alexander F, Walker J. Impact of UK colorectal cancer screening pilot on primary care. Br J Gen Pract. 2005;55: 20-5.
• Doust J, Miller E, Duchesne G, Kitchener M, Weller D (2004) A systematic review of brachytherapy. Is it an effective and safe treatment for localised prostate cancer?. Australian Family Physician:33: 1-4 Link
• Weller DP, Jamrozik K, Heller RF (2004) Quality, morale and the new contract with GPs. Medical Journal of Australia: 180: 57-8 Link
• Weller D (2004) Behavioural and social science research in cancer. Time for action. European Journal of Cancer: 40: 314-315 Link
• Crotty M, Whitehead C, Rowett D, Halbert J, Weller D, Finucane P, Esterman A (2004) An outreach intervention to implement evidence based practice in residential care: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Health Services Research: 4:6 Link
• Weller DP, Maynard A (2004) How general practice is funded in the United Kingdom. Medical Journal of Australia: 181(2): 109-110 Link
• UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot Group (DW lead evaluator). Results of the first round of a demonstration pilot of screening for colorectal cancer in the United Kingdom. Br Med J 2004;329:133-138
• Jamrozik K, Heller RF, Weller DP (2003) What drives the NHS? Medical Journal of Australia: 179: 575-576
• Weller D, May F, Rowett D, Esterman A, Pinnock C, Nicholson S, Doust J, Silagy C. Promoting better use of the PSA test in general practice: randomized controlled trial of educational strategies based on outreach visits and mailout. Fam Pract. 2003;20: 655-61
• Silagy C, Weller D, Lapsley H, Middleton P, Shelby-James T, Fazezas B. The effectiveness of local adaptation of nationally produced clinical practice guidelines. Fam Pract 2002;19: 223-230
• Towler B P, Irwig L, Glasziou P, Weller D, Kewenter J. Screening for colorectal cancer using the faecal ocult blood test, Hemoccult (Cochrane Review) The Cochrane Library 2001;4;2001
• Chilvers C, Dewey M, Fielding K, Gretton V, Miller P, Palmer B, Weller D, Churchill R, Williams I, Bedi N, Duggan C, Lee A, Harrison G. Antidepressant drugs and generic counselling for treatment of major depression in primary care: randomised trial with patient preference arms. Br Med J 2001;322: 772-5