Overview
I am a Senior Clinical Lecturer of Primary Care in the Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University and a GP at Fairwater Health Centre in Cardiff.
I conduct research with a focus on the diagnosis and management of common infections seen in primary care. I am Co-lead of the Infections Workpackage in PRIME Centre Wales (Health and Care Research Wales funded Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Care Research.
My main focus is urinary tract infections (UTI), but I am also interested in the diagnosis and management of other common infections, diagnostic tests & clinical scoring systems, antimicrobial resistance, and the diagnosis/identification of serious illness in children.
I teach on the C21 medical programme and Intercalated BSC in Population Medicine.
Publication
2024
- Hughes, K. et al. 2024. Long-term consequences of urinary tract infection in childhood: an electronic population-based cohort study in Welsh primary and secondary care. British Journal of General Practice 74(743), pp. e371-e378. (10.3399/BJGP.2023.0174)
- Clark, A. et al. 2024. Assessing acutely ill children in general practice using the National PEWS and LqSOFA clinical scores: a retrospective cohort study. British Journal of General Practice (10.3399/BJGP.2023.0638)
2023
- Lau, T. et al. 2023. Perspectives of statistician, microbiologist, and clinician stakeholders on the use of microbiological outcomes in randomised trials of antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Antibiotics, article number: 885. (10.3390/antibiotics12050885)
- Edwards, G. et al. 2023. What is the diagnostic accuracy of novel urine biomarkers for urinary tract infection?. Biomarker Insights 18, pp. 1-16. (10.1177/11772719221144459)
2022
- Phillips, R. et al. 2022. Perceived threat of COVID-19, attitudes towards vaccination, and vaccine hesitancy: A prospective longitudinal study in the UK. British Journal of Health Psychology 27(4), pp. 1354-1381. (10.1111/bjhp.12606)
- Williams, A. D. N., Wood, F., Gillespie, D., Couzens, Z., Hughes, K. and Hood, K. 2022. The relationship between HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, sexually transmitted infections, and antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative interview study of men who have sex with men. BMC Public Health 22(1), article number: 2222. (10.1186/s12889-022-14645-0)
- Gadalla, A. et al. 2022. Antibiotic consumption and time to recovery from uncomplicated urinary tract infection: secondary analysis of observational data from a point-of-care test trial. British Journal of General Practice 72(725), pp. 882-890. (10.3399/BJGP.2022.0011)
- Reeve, N. F. et al. 2022. Myocardial infarction and stroke subsequent to urinary tract infection (MISSOURI): protocol for a self-controlled case series using linked electronic health records. BMJ Open 12, article number: e064586. (10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064586)
- Wasag, D. R., Cannings-John, R., Hughes, K. and Ahmed, H. 2022. Antibiotic dispensing during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of Welsh primary care dispensing data. Family Practice 39(3), pp. 420-425., article number: cmab141. (10.1093/fampra/cmab141)
- Clark, A., Cannings-John, R., Blyth, M., Hay, A. D., Butler, C. C. and Hughes, K. 2022. Accuracy of the NICE Traffic Light system for detecting serious illness in acutely unwell children presenting to general practice: a retrospective cohort study. British Journal of General Practice 72(719), pp. e398-e404. (10.3399/BJGP.2021.0633)
- Blyth, M., Cannings-John, R., Hay, A. D., Butler, C. and Hughes, K. 2022. Is the NICE traffic light system fit-for-purpose for children presenting with undifferentiated acute illness in primary care?. Archives of Disease in Childhood 107(5), pp. 444-449. (10.1136/archdischild-2021-322768)
- Lau, T. M. M., Daniel, R., Hughes, K., Wootton, M., Hood, K. and Gillespie, D. 2022. A systematic review investigating the use of microbiology outcome measures in randomized controlled trials evaluating antimicrobial stewardship interventions published between 2011 and 2021. JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance 4(1), article number: dlac013. (10.1093/jacamr/dlac013)
- Williams, A., Gillespie, D., Couzens, Z., Wood, F., Hughes, K. and Hood, K. 2022. Changing sexual behaviours amongst MSM during the COVID-19 restrictions in Wales: a mixed methods study. BMC Public Health 22(1), article number: 396. (10.1186/s12889-022-12821-w)
2021
- Phillips, R. et al. 2021. Cohort profile: The UK COVID-19 Public Experiences (COPE) prospective longitudinal mixed-methods study of health and well-being during the SARSCoV2 coronavirus pandemic. PLoS ONE 16(10), article number: e0258484. (10.1371/journal.pone.0258484)
2019
- Gadalla, A. A. M. et al. 2019. Identification of clinical and urine biomarkers for uncomplicated urinary tract infection using machine learning algorithms. Scientific Reports 9(1), article number: 19694. (10.1038/s41598-019-55523-x)
- Lugg-Widger, F. V. et al. 2019. Long-term outcomes of urinary tract infection (UTI) in Childhood (LUCI): protocol for an electronic record-linked cohort study. BMJ Open 9, article number: e024210. (10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024210)
2018
- Lugg-Widger, F., Angel, L., Cannings-John, R., Hood, K., Hughes, K., Moody, G. and Robling, M. 2018. Challenges in accessing routinely collected data from multiple providers in the UK for primary studies: Managing the morass. International Journal of Population Data Science 3(3), article number: 2. (10.23889/ijpds.v3i3.432)
- Williams, M. R., Greene, G., Naik, G., Hughes, K., Butler, C. C. and Hay, A. D. 2018. Antibiotic prescribing quality for children in primary care: an observational study. British Journal of General Practice 68(667), pp. e90-e96. (10.3399/bjgp18X694409)
2017
- Matthews, L. et al. 2017. Study protocol for the 'HelpMeDoIt!' randomised controlled feasibility trial: an app, web and social support-based weight loss intervention for adults with obesity. BMJ Open 7(10), article number: e017159. (10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017159)
2016
- Butler, C. C. et al. 2016. Empiric antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infection in preschool children: susceptibilities of urine sample isolates. Family Practice 33(2), pp. 127-132. (10.1093/fampra/cmv104)
2015
- Butler, C. C. et al. 2015. Childhood urinary tract infection in primary care: a prospective observational study of prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. British Journal of General Practice 65(633), pp. e217-e223. (10.3399/bjgp15X684361)
2013
- O'Brien, K. 2013. The prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children under five years old presenting with an acute illness in UK general practice. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2011
- O'Brien, K., Stanton, N., Edwards, A. G., Hood, K. and Butler, C. C. 2011. Prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in sequential acutely unwell children presenting in primary care: exploratory study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 29(1), pp. 19-22. (10.3109/02813432.2011.554268)
2007
- O'Brien, K., Cadbury, N. L., Rollnick, S. and Wood, F. C. 2007. Sickness certification in the general practice consultation: the patients' perspective, a qualitative study. Family Practice 25(1), pp. 20-26. (10.1093/fampra/cmm076)
Articles
- Hughes, K. et al. 2024. Long-term consequences of urinary tract infection in childhood: an electronic population-based cohort study in Welsh primary and secondary care. British Journal of General Practice 74(743), pp. e371-e378. (10.3399/BJGP.2023.0174)
- Clark, A. et al. 2024. Assessing acutely ill children in general practice using the National PEWS and LqSOFA clinical scores: a retrospective cohort study. British Journal of General Practice (10.3399/BJGP.2023.0638)
- Lau, T. et al. 2023. Perspectives of statistician, microbiologist, and clinician stakeholders on the use of microbiological outcomes in randomised trials of antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Antibiotics, article number: 885. (10.3390/antibiotics12050885)
- Edwards, G. et al. 2023. What is the diagnostic accuracy of novel urine biomarkers for urinary tract infection?. Biomarker Insights 18, pp. 1-16. (10.1177/11772719221144459)
- Phillips, R. et al. 2022. Perceived threat of COVID-19, attitudes towards vaccination, and vaccine hesitancy: A prospective longitudinal study in the UK. British Journal of Health Psychology 27(4), pp. 1354-1381. (10.1111/bjhp.12606)
- Williams, A. D. N., Wood, F., Gillespie, D., Couzens, Z., Hughes, K. and Hood, K. 2022. The relationship between HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, sexually transmitted infections, and antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative interview study of men who have sex with men. BMC Public Health 22(1), article number: 2222. (10.1186/s12889-022-14645-0)
- Gadalla, A. et al. 2022. Antibiotic consumption and time to recovery from uncomplicated urinary tract infection: secondary analysis of observational data from a point-of-care test trial. British Journal of General Practice 72(725), pp. 882-890. (10.3399/BJGP.2022.0011)
- Reeve, N. F. et al. 2022. Myocardial infarction and stroke subsequent to urinary tract infection (MISSOURI): protocol for a self-controlled case series using linked electronic health records. BMJ Open 12, article number: e064586. (10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064586)
- Wasag, D. R., Cannings-John, R., Hughes, K. and Ahmed, H. 2022. Antibiotic dispensing during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of Welsh primary care dispensing data. Family Practice 39(3), pp. 420-425., article number: cmab141. (10.1093/fampra/cmab141)
- Clark, A., Cannings-John, R., Blyth, M., Hay, A. D., Butler, C. C. and Hughes, K. 2022. Accuracy of the NICE Traffic Light system for detecting serious illness in acutely unwell children presenting to general practice: a retrospective cohort study. British Journal of General Practice 72(719), pp. e398-e404. (10.3399/BJGP.2021.0633)
- Blyth, M., Cannings-John, R., Hay, A. D., Butler, C. and Hughes, K. 2022. Is the NICE traffic light system fit-for-purpose for children presenting with undifferentiated acute illness in primary care?. Archives of Disease in Childhood 107(5), pp. 444-449. (10.1136/archdischild-2021-322768)
- Lau, T. M. M., Daniel, R., Hughes, K., Wootton, M., Hood, K. and Gillespie, D. 2022. A systematic review investigating the use of microbiology outcome measures in randomized controlled trials evaluating antimicrobial stewardship interventions published between 2011 and 2021. JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance 4(1), article number: dlac013. (10.1093/jacamr/dlac013)
- Williams, A., Gillespie, D., Couzens, Z., Wood, F., Hughes, K. and Hood, K. 2022. Changing sexual behaviours amongst MSM during the COVID-19 restrictions in Wales: a mixed methods study. BMC Public Health 22(1), article number: 396. (10.1186/s12889-022-12821-w)
- Phillips, R. et al. 2021. Cohort profile: The UK COVID-19 Public Experiences (COPE) prospective longitudinal mixed-methods study of health and well-being during the SARSCoV2 coronavirus pandemic. PLoS ONE 16(10), article number: e0258484. (10.1371/journal.pone.0258484)
- Gadalla, A. A. M. et al. 2019. Identification of clinical and urine biomarkers for uncomplicated urinary tract infection using machine learning algorithms. Scientific Reports 9(1), article number: 19694. (10.1038/s41598-019-55523-x)
- Lugg-Widger, F. V. et al. 2019. Long-term outcomes of urinary tract infection (UTI) in Childhood (LUCI): protocol for an electronic record-linked cohort study. BMJ Open 9, article number: e024210. (10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024210)
- Lugg-Widger, F., Angel, L., Cannings-John, R., Hood, K., Hughes, K., Moody, G. and Robling, M. 2018. Challenges in accessing routinely collected data from multiple providers in the UK for primary studies: Managing the morass. International Journal of Population Data Science 3(3), article number: 2. (10.23889/ijpds.v3i3.432)
- Williams, M. R., Greene, G., Naik, G., Hughes, K., Butler, C. C. and Hay, A. D. 2018. Antibiotic prescribing quality for children in primary care: an observational study. British Journal of General Practice 68(667), pp. e90-e96. (10.3399/bjgp18X694409)
- Matthews, L. et al. 2017. Study protocol for the 'HelpMeDoIt!' randomised controlled feasibility trial: an app, web and social support-based weight loss intervention for adults with obesity. BMJ Open 7(10), article number: e017159. (10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017159)
- Butler, C. C. et al. 2016. Empiric antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infection in preschool children: susceptibilities of urine sample isolates. Family Practice 33(2), pp. 127-132. (10.1093/fampra/cmv104)
- Butler, C. C. et al. 2015. Childhood urinary tract infection in primary care: a prospective observational study of prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. British Journal of General Practice 65(633), pp. e217-e223. (10.3399/bjgp15X684361)
- O'Brien, K., Stanton, N., Edwards, A. G., Hood, K. and Butler, C. C. 2011. Prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in sequential acutely unwell children presenting in primary care: exploratory study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 29(1), pp. 19-22. (10.3109/02813432.2011.554268)
- O'Brien, K., Cadbury, N. L., Rollnick, S. and Wood, F. C. 2007. Sickness certification in the general practice consultation: the patients' perspective, a qualitative study. Family Practice 25(1), pp. 20-26. (10.1093/fampra/cmm076)
Thesis
- O'Brien, K. 2013. The prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children under five years old presenting with an acute illness in UK general practice. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Research
My main research interest is in the diagnosis and management of infections in primary care, particularly urinary tract infections (UTI). I am also interested in other common infections, antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance, point of care tests & biomarkers and the diagnosis/identification of serious illness in children.
I have worked on two large prospective cohort studies concerning childhood UTI (the EURICA and DUTY studies) and the LUCI study which uses routinely collected electronic health records to look at outcomes following childhood UTI. I am also involved in several studies exploring the urinary microbiome (bacterial genomics) in children and adults with and without UTI.
Grants
Title: Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency (including Unscheduled) Care Research (PRIME) and Care Research Wales, Centre Extension. Applicants: Edwards A, Ahmed H, Brain K, Burton C, Carson-Stevens A, Chestnutt I, Davies F, Evans B, Francis N, Ford D, Gal M, Harris-Mayes R, Hiscock J, Hughes D, Hughes K, Jones J, Joseph-Williams N, Kenkre K, Khanom A, Kingston M, Law R, Lewis R, Llewellyn M, Nelson A, North R, Northway R, Phillips R, Pontin D, Poolman M, Porter A, Rees N, Rolph M, Smith S, Snooks H, Spasić I, Thomas-Jones E, Todd S, Wallace C, Watkins A, Wilkinson C, Williams M, Wood. Funder: Health and Care Research Wales. Amount: £4,634,746. Duration: April 2020-March 2025
Title: Quantitative mapping of the microbiome and resistome in urinary tract infection among women: a pump-priming interdisciplinary study Applicants: Gadalla A, Francis N, Connor T, Marchesi J, Hughes K, E Mahenthiralingam, Butler C. Funder: ISSF3 Population Award, Cardiff University/Wellcome. Amount: £43,322 . Duration: April 2019-July 2020
Title: Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency (including Unscheduled) Care Research (PRIME) and Care Research Wales, Centre Extension. Applicants: Edwards A, Brain K, Bulger J, Calder G, Carson-Stevens A, Chestnutt I, Davies F, van Deursen R, Evans B, Ford D, Francis N, Gal M, Gobat N, Harris-Mayes R, Hiscock J, Hood K, Hughes D, Hughes K, Joseph-Williams N, Kenkre J, Khanom A, Kingston M, Lewis R, North R, Phillips R, Porter A, Rees N, Rycroft-Malone J, Smith S, Smits S, Snooks H, Spasić I, Thomson C, Ud Din N, Wallace C, Watkins A, Wilkinson C, Williams M, Williams N, Wood F Amount: £1,799,934.62 Duration: 1/4/18 – 31/03/20
Title: The LUCI study: The Long-term follow-up of Urinary tract infection (UTI) in Children. Applicants: O'Brien K, Cannings-John R, Paranjothy S, Francis N, Hay A, Butler C, Hood K. Funder:Health and Care Research Wales, Health Research Award Amount: £248,122. Duration: Oct 2016-June 2019
Title: Helpmedoit: A web and text based intervention to facilitate social support to achieve and maintain health related behaviour change. Applicants: Simpson S, Morgan Trimmer S, O'Brien K, Murphy S, Kelly M, Moore L, John E, McConnachie A, Mcintosh E Dunder: NIHR PHR Award Amount: £414,000. Duration: Feb 2015-July 2017.
Title: Symptoms of uncomplicated UTI in women presenting to general practice: exploration of causation in culture negative urine: The 'Missing link' study. Applicants: Butler C, Eberl M, Francis N, Gal M, Gregory C, Hood K, Howe R, Marchesi J, O'Brien K, Topley N, Wooton M. Funder: Wales School of Primary Care Research. Amount: £22,699 Duration:April 2014-2015
Title: Development of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)/DNA pyrosequencing methods for the laboratory identification and analysis of urinary tract infections. Applicants: O'Brien K, Gregory C, Marchesi J, Francis N, Butler C. Funder: WellcomeTrust/ ISSF SEEDCORN Award. Amount: £50,000 Duration: June 2012-15
Title: DUTY: The Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children Study. Applicants: Hay A, Butler C, Little P, Hood K, MacGowan A, Sterne J, Hollingworth W, Howe R, Whiting P, O'Brien K, Dudley J, van der Voort J, Montgomery A, Benger J, Fletcher M. Funder: NIHR HTA Award Amount: £3,255,125. Duration: Jan 2010-Dec 2016
Title: Microbiology and Infection Translational Research Group (MITReG). Applicants: Baille L, Barnes R, Brazier J, Bugert J, Butler C, Chalmers R, Cohen D, Corden S, Davies A, Davies E, Denyer S, Dunstan F, Eberl M, Edwards A, Evans M, Guy E, Hall J, Hastings M, Hay A, Heginbothom M, Henry R, Howe R, Hughes D, Kotecha S, Leaper D, Lewis M, Lovering A, Lyons M, Lyons R, MacGowan A, Mack D, Mahenthiralingam E, Maillard J, Marchesi J, Mason B, McGuigan C, O'Brien K, Price D, Sewell A, Taylor P, Thomas D, Topley N, Walsh T, Weightman A, White L, Wilkinson G, Williams D, Wootton M Funder: NISCHR Amount: £342,867 Duraton: March 2010- March 2015
Title: The Epidemiology of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in Children with Acute Illness in Primary Care (EURICA study). Applicants: Butler C, O'Brien K, Edwards A, Hood K. Funder: joint WAG/MRC Health Partnership Award Amount: £139,897. Duration: April 2008-March 2012
Teaching
My teaching areas include infections, primary care research and epidemiology and quantitative research methods.
I am currently involved in teaching on the following courses:
- MB BCh C21 through Evidence based Medicine Tutorial sessions, Year 2 Case-based facilitator, SSCs and ISCE clinical examinations.
- Intercalated BSc in Population Medicine: Co-lead Short term conditions module & Project Supervisor
Biography
Qualifications:
- PhD School of Medicine, Cardiff University 2013 (Childhood UTI)
- Dip Epi Diploma in Epidemiology London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 2009
- PCME Postgraduate Certificate of Medical Education 2006
- MRCGP (Merit) Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners 2003
- DFFP Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning 2003
- DCH Diploma in Child Health 2001
- MB BCh Medical Degree 1998 Cardiff University
Overview of Career
- August 2020: Senior Clinical Lecturer, Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP at Fairwater Health Centre, Cardiff.
- April 2020 - August 2020: Clinical Lecturer, Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP at Fairwater Health Centre, Cardiff.
- Sep 2016 – April 2020: Senior Clinical Research Fellow, PRIME Centre Wales, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP
- Sep 2015 – Sep 2016: Maternity leave
- May 2005 – Sep 2015: Clinical Lecturer, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP (Partner Blaen-y-cwm Surgery Jan 2010-Dec 2014)
- Oct 2003 – May 2005: Associate Academic General Practitioner (Academic Fellow), School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP
- Aug 2003 - Oct 2003: Locum General Practitioner
- Feb 2000 - Aug 2003: General Practice Vocational Training Scheme (Royal Glamorgan Hospital)
- Aug 1999 - Feb 2000: SHO in Accident and Emergency, Royal Gwent Hospital
- Feb1999 – Aug 1999: HO in Medicine (respiratory) Princess of Wales Hospital
- Aug 1998 – Feb 1999: HO in General Surgery Royal Gwent Hospital
Honours and awards
Jan 2020: Certificate of appreciation for teaching. School of Medicine, Cardiff University.
Research paper awards
2016 RCGP Research Paper of the year Category 3: Children, Reproduction, genetics, infections
Hay AD, Sterne JA, Hood K, Little P, Delaney B, Hollingworth W, et al. Improving the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children in Primary Care: Results from the DUTY Prospective Diagnostic Cohort Study. Annals of family medicine. 2016;14(4):325-36.
2015 RCGP Research Paper of the year Category 3: Children, Reproduction, genetics, infections
Butler CC, O'Brien K, Pickles T, Hood K, Wootton M, Howe R, Waldron CA, Thomas-Jones E, Hollingworth W, Little P, Van Der Voort J, Dudley J, Rumsby K, Downing H, Harman K, Hay AD; DUTY study team. Childhood urinary tract infection in primary care: a prospective observational study of prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Br J Gen Pract. 2015 Apr;65(633):e217-23
Professional memberships
Royal College of General Practitioners (since 2003)
Committees and reviewing
- Health and Care Research Wales All Wales Prioritisation Panel member (Aug 2019-present)
Supervisions
I am interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of:
- Primary care
- Infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Urinary microbiome
- Point of care diagnostic tests
Current supervision
Adam Williams
Research student
