Dr Rebecca Elizabeth Payne
Director, North Wales Centre for Primary Care Research
Additional Contact Information
I am a Clinical Senior Lecturer and Director of the North Wales Centre for Primary Care Research at Bangor University, a practising remote and island GP with NHS Orkney, and a Clarendon-Reuben Scholar at the University of Oxford.
My research focuses on how digital technologies can be safely and effectively integrated into healthcare, particularly primary, urgent and rural care. My work spans remote and hybrid consulting, artificial intelligence, digital clinical communication and technology-enabled models of care. A central theme is understanding not simply whether technologies work, but how they interact with patients, clinicians and health systems, and what is required for them to translate successfully into routine practice.
My doctoral and postdoctoral research has examined the quality and safety of remote general practice. The Remote by Default 2 programme investigated patient safety and quality in remote consultations and developed practical approaches to safer remote care and workforce training. My current research extends this work into areas including the safety of patient-generated clinical images and video, multimodal AI in healthcare and technology-supported access to medicines in remote and rural communities through the REMEDY programme.
I have a particular interest in research that moves beyond describing problems to developing and evaluating solutions that can be implemented in real-world health systems. My work combines health services and implementation research with clinical practice, working across disciplinary and organisational boundaries and with patients, clinicians, policymakers, technologists and industry.
Alongside my research, I contribute to national and international work on healthcare quality, digital health and primary care. I chair a NICE Quality Standards Advisory Committee, serve on the Scientific Board of the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA), and am an Associate Editor of the Journal of Health Services Research & Policy.
Before moving into academia, I held senior clinical and national leadership roles including Chair of RCGP Wales, National Professional Adviser for Urgent Primary Care at the Care Quality Commission, Clinical Director for Unscheduled Primary Care and Medical Adviser within NHS Wales Health Board settings. This experience continues to shape my research, particularly my interest in producing evidence that can influence policy and improve the delivery of care.
I am a Churchill Fellow and have received national recognition for my research, including RCGP Research Paper of the Year awards, the John Horder/CAIPE award for interdisciplinary work and the BJGP Senior Researcher Award. I am particularly interested in collaborations that address the safe adoption, evaluation and implementation of emerging technologies in healthcare and improve access to high-quality care for rural, remote and underserved populations.
Qualifications
- Other: PGCME
2025–2026 - PhD: Virtual consults: Real consequences
2025 - MSc: Public Health (distinction)
King's College London, 2022 - Professional: MBBch (honours)
University of Wales, College of Medicine, 2001
Postgraduate Project Opportunities
I am willing to supervise a PhD
Publications
2026
- PublishedA feasibility study to explore the introduction of a remotely controlled medication issuing machine during the out-of-hours period in rural and under-served areas of Wales: the REmote MEdication maDe easY (REMEDY) study—study protocol
Payne, R. E., Hughes, D., Bond, C. & Mackridge, A., 11 Sept 2026, In: Pilot and Feasibility Studies.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedAI in primary care: secretary, not physician
Payne, R. E., Bean, A., Mahdi, A. & Purves, A., May 2026, In: British Journal of General Practice. 76, 767, 269.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate - E-pub ahead of printDevelopment and pilot evaluation of the implementation of a whole-team training pack to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, safety and equity of remote general practice
Clift, J., Dakin, F., Khan, A., Woodier, N., Greenhalgh, T. & Payne, R. E., 24 Jun 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: BMJ Quality & Safety.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedDispensing quality? Can pharmacy vending machines and collection lockers deliver high quality care?
Thomas, E., Tanaka, A., Mackridge, A. & Payne, R., 18 May 2026, In: International Journal of Pharmacy Practice. riag056.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printDrones in healthcare, are they ready to fly?
Tanaka, A., Thomas, E., Purves, A., Heward-Mills, D., Bray, N. & Payne, R. E., 6 Feb 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: BMJ Innovations.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printHow a lack of visual fidelity in patient-generated images risks compromising care
Payne, R. E., Woywodt, A., Wang, Z., Kirk, U. B., Brady, M., Joishy, M., King, K., Mahdi, A., Fischer Pedersen, A. & Huibers, L., 25 Feb 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: The Lancet Primary Care. 100120.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printIncrease in remote overseas primary care consultations
Payne, R. E., Wang, Z., Jaggar, D. & King, K., 26 Mar 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: BMJ. 392, s563.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedOlder adults and frail patients
Payne, R. E. & Dykes, L., 14 Sept 2026, Remote triage and consultations in emergency and primary care. Brady, M. & Thompson, S. (eds.). Class
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printRecommended point-of-care tests in out-of-hours primary care: A modified Delphi study
Redek, L., Brettell, R., Payne, R. E., Huibers, L. & Homar, V., 7 Sept 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: British Journal of General Practice.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printReliability of LLMs as medical assistants for the general public: a randomized preregistered study
Bean, A., Payne, R. E., Parsons, G., Kirk, H. R., Ciro, J., Mosquera-Gómez, R., Hincape, S., Ekanayaka, A., Tarassenko, L., Rocher, L. & Mahdi, A., 9 Feb 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Nature Medicine. 32, 2, p. 609-615 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedTablets before liquids? Rethinking paediatric prescribing in primary care
Elkhazragy, A., Jonroy, A. & Payne, R. E., 26 Mar 2026, In: British Journal of General Practice. 76, 765, p. 183-185 3 p., BJGP.2025.0652.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printTelephone triage in urgent unscheduled primary care in 16 European countries: a cross-national questionnaire-based expert study
Bergholdt Jul Christiansen, I., Zoch-Lesniak, B., Lindberg, B., Björkman, A., Ramerman, L., Payne, R., Herrmann, T., Homar, V. & Huibers, L., 12 Jan 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Scandinavian journal of primary health care. 44, 2600632.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printWhat do we mean by urgent care? Definitional confusion and its consequences
Podlasek, A., Sanders, T. & Payne, R. E., 5 May 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: British Journal of General Practice. BJGP.2025.0716.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - Published'You can mix your methods, but you can't mix your paradigms': a guide to ontology and epistemology for the confused researcher
Disbeschl, S., Checkland, K., Stutchbury, K. & Payne, R., 1 Jan 2026, In: British Journal of General Practice. 76, 762, p. 36-40 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2025
- PublishedArtificial intelligence in primary care: innovation at a crossroads
Laranjo, L., Tudor Car, L., Payne, R. E., Neves, A. L., Kidd, M. & Jaime Miranda, J., 16 Dec 2025, In: The Lancet Primary Care. 2, 3
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedCommunication settings and skills for video consultation in primary care
Payne, R. E., Kirk, U. B. & King, K., 3 Jul 2025, Remote Consultation in Primary Care. Demurtas, J. (ed.). Springer, p. 87 99 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review - PublishedConsultation Structure and Models
Payne, R. E. & Kirk, U. B., 3 Jul 2025, Remote Consultation in Primary Care. Demurtas, J. (ed.). Springer, p. 101-111
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review - PublishedDigital maturity: towards a strategic approach
Greenhalgh, T. & Payne, R., May 2025, In: British Journal of General Practice. 75, 754, p. 200-202 3 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedHow to make remote consultation safer
Saul, H., Cassidy, S., Swaithes, L., Greenhalgh, T. & Payne, R. E., 23 Jan 2025, In: BMJ. 388, q2526
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedMind the (widening) gap: why public health must engage with AI now
del Rey Puech, P., Payne, R., Saund, J. & McKee, M., 12 Nov 2025, In: BMC Public Health. 250, 106047.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printMitigating health inequalities in rural European communities through collaborative primary care research: A position paper of the WONCA Europe network EURIPA
Dolan, M., Petrazzuoli, F., Wynn-Jones, J., Fosse, A., Clark, C. E., Falanga, R., Dumitra, G. G., Gussy, M., Lionis, C., Colosio, C., Payne, R., Kenkre, J., Javorská, K., Tsiligianni, I., Kurpas, D., Halata, D., Glynn, L. & Sanders, T., 24 Nov 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: The European journal of general practice. 31, 1, 2585560 .
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedPoint-of-care C-reactive protein testing in general practice out-of-hours services: tool or trap?
Payne, R., Mills, S., Wilkinson, C. & Hansen, M. P., 28 Aug 2025, In: British Journal of General Practice. 75, 758, p. 388-389 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedPrimary care video consulting: a view from Northern Europe.
Payne, R., Kirk, U. B., Nymberg, V. M., Sandal, N., Huibers, L. & Hvidt, E. A., 1 Jun 2025, In: British Journal of General Practice. 75, 755, p. 281-284 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printRemote consulting
Payne, R., Raman, K. & Walker, D. P., 5 May 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: InnovAiT: Education and inspiration for general practice.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedSafety and unintended consequences
Kirk, U. B., Payne, R. E., Ferreira, A., Rochfort, A. & Matillya, N., 29 Aug 2025, Digital Health for Primary Care. Neves, A. L. & Laranjo, L. (eds.). Taylor & Francis
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review - PublishedTechnostress, technosuffering, and relational strain: a multi-method qualitative study of how remote and digital work affects staff in UK general practice
Dakin, F., Hemmings, N., Kalin, A., Moore, L., Ladds, E., Payne, R. E., Rosen, R., Byng, R., Wherton, J., Wieringa, S. & Greenhalgh, T., Mar 2025, In: British Journal of General Practice. 75, 752, p. e211-e221
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2024
- PublishedAfter the teleconsultation: getting medicines to patients when pharmacy services are not available
Payne, R., Lodge, A., Mackridge, A., O'Keeffe, D., Swann, N., Clarke, A., Schmidt, J., Allen, T., Sloan, C. & Bond, C., Sept 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 746, p. 422-425 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - Published‘A tool for every job’: use of video in urgent primary care
Kirk, U. B., Payne, R., Tweedie, J.-A. & Huibers, L., Oct 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 747, p. 443–444 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printChallenges to quality in contemporary, hybrid general practice: a multi-site longitudinal case study
Payne, R. E., Dakin, F., MacIver, E., Swann, N., Pring, T., Clarke, A., Kalin, A., Moore, L., Ladds, E., Wherton, J., Rybczynska-Bunt, S., Husain, L., Hemmings, N., Wieringa, S. & Greenhalgh, T., 18 Nov 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: British Journal of General Practice. 0184.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedDo new models of primary care risk exacerbating existing inequality?
Payne, R., MacIver, E. & Clarke, A., Oct 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 747, p. 436-437 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedMaking remote healthcare safer
Greenhalgh, T., Payne, R. & McCabe, F., 29 Feb 2024, In: International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 36, 1, mzae023.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedMedia depictions of primary care teleconsultation safety: a thematic analysis of UK newspapers
Song, K., Hey, M. & Payne, R., Oct 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 747, p. e695–e701
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedMuscle weakness post-COVID: a practical guide for primary care
Payne, R. E., Pring, T., Hey, M., Payne, G. & Greenhalgh, T., 1 Dec 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 749, p. 573-575 3 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedPatient involvement in developing clinical guidelines
Greenhalgh, T., Misak, C., Payne, R. E. & Swann, N., Nov 2024, In: BMJ. 2024, 387, 2433.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedPatient safety in remote primary care encounters: multimethod qualitative study combining Safety I and Safety II analysis
Payne, R., Clarke, A., Swann, N., van Dael, J., Brenman, N., Rosen, R., Mackridge, A., Moore, L., Kalin, A., Ladds, E., Hemmings, N., Rybczynska-Bunt, S., Faulkner, S., Hanson, I., Spitters, S., Wieringa, S., Dakin, F. H., Shaw, S. E., Wherton, J. & Byng, R. & 2 others, , 16 Aug 2024, In: BMJ Quality & Safety. 33, 9, p. 573-586 14 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - E-pub ahead of printTeaching patient safety in remote consulting
King, K. & Payne, R., 16 Sept 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Education for Primary Care. 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedTen tips to carry out video consultations in nephrology
Woywodt, A., Payne, R. E., Huuskes, B. M. & Hezer, B., Oct 2024, In: Clinical kidney journal. 17, 10, 9 p., sfae287.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedThe place of remote consultation in modern general practice
Payne, R. & Dakin, F., Jan 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 738, p. 7–8
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review - PublishedTraining needs for staff providing remote services in general practice: a mixed-methods study
Greenhalgh, T., Payne, R., Hemmings, N., Leach, H., Hanson, I., Khan, A., Miller, L., Ladds, E., Clarke, A., Shaw, S. E., Dakin, F., Wieringa, S., Rybczynska-Bunt, S., Faulkner, S. D., Byng, R., Kalin, A., Moore, L., Wherton, J., Husain, L. & Rosen, R., Jan 2024, In: British Journal of General Practice. 74, 738, p. e17–e26
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedVideo consulting for GP trainees
Leach, H., Payne, R., Hanson, I. & King, K., Mar 2024, In: InnovAiT: Education and inspiration for general practice. 17, 3, p. 113–117
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2023
- PublishedHow and why are video consultations used in urgent primary care settings in the UK? A focus group study
Payne, R. E. & Clarke, A., Sept 2023, In: BJGP open. 7, 3, 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2008
- PublishedRugby (the religion of Wales) and its influence on the Catholic church: should Pope Benedict XVI be worried?
Payne, G. C., Payne, R. E. & Farewell, D. M., 1 Dec 2008, In: BMJ. 337, p. a2768 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
2026
- Achieving impact and influence
Keynote at the BSCN annual conference on how professional societies can influence policy and practice
6 Mar 2026
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Achieving impact and influence: getting your research to result in change
Keynote on moving research from publication to impact in policy and practice
2026
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Remote Medicine: Now and in the Future
Key note speech at a WONCA Europe event
2026
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - VITAL advisory board (External organisation)
Member of the advisory board for VITAL, The Regional Centre for Emergency Medicine Research and Development in Western Norway, Helse Stavanger
2026 →
Activity: Membership of board (Chair)
2025
- AI in healthcare: secretary not physician
Digidol AI 2025
10 Dec 2025
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Equality and Diversity for Managers
Dec 2025
Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Participant) - Visual distortion in clinical images: safety risks and research in digital care
Presentation to the European Digital Primary Care Learning Lunch
Dec 2025 →
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - You can add tech, but you can't replace people. Unexpected learnings from a Churchill Fellowship
Invited talk to the rural service network
26 Nov 2025
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - AI in primary care (OOH included!): Secretary not physician
Invited talk at the winter meeting of EUROOHNET - European OOH research network
24 Nov 2025
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - CRP in GPOOH, tool or trap?
Presentation at the winter meeting of the European OOH research network, EUROOHNET
24 Nov 2025
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - Gwenllian Wynne-Jones
Hosted Gwenllian as she visited for the NWMS research seminar
Nov 2025
Activity: Hosting an academic visitor (Host) - Aarhus University
Visit to the faculty of public health
Oct 2025 →
Activity: Visiting an external academic institution (Visiting researcher) - From remote consulting to remote practice
Invited talk to the faculty of public health
Oct 2025
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - General practice in Wales, evidence summary
Talk to the national primary care assistant medical director group
Sep 2025 →
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Digital Consultations – Enhancing Safety in Remote Consulting
Invited speaker with Prof Trish Greenhalgh at WONCA seminar hosted by EURIPA
28 May 2025
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Patient safety in remote primary care encounters: key findings and getting the messages out
Talk at the European digital primary care learning lunch
May 2025 →
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Bangor University Health Services Research Summer School Guest Lecture
2025
Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Speaker) - Journal of Health Services Research and Policy (Journal)
Associate Editor
2025 →
Activity: Editorial activity (Editorial board member) - Looking for the REMEDY
Oral presentation at the EURIPA
2025 →
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - Remote consulting
Talk to the All Wales Palliative Care Group
2025 →
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
2024
- Patient safety in primary care remote consultations
Invited speaker/panellist
27 Mar 2024
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Lunchtime learning events in digital primary, community and urgent care
2024 →
Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Speaker) - Patient safety in remote encounters, combined Safety I and Safety II analysis
Presentation at SAPC South West
2024 →
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - Remote and Resilient, a GP's Adventures in the Falkland Islands
2024
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Risks to patient safety in remote consulting
Presentation at the BJGP Conference 2024, awarded Senior Researcher prize
2024
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2023
- Spidey sense activated; the use of video consultation in urgent care settings
RCGP Conference workshop
29 Oct 2023
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2006
- Remote consulting, now and in the future
Invited Keynote at the IX Conference of the Association of Family Physicians of South Eastern Europe
30 Jun 2006
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
Projects
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01/10/2026 – 15/10/2028 (Active)
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01/04/2025 – 15/04/2027 (Active)