I require the services of a medical writer.

The role of the medical writer will be to assist with the preparation of an existing manuscript that is currently in draft form for submission to a medical journal, more specifically the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ). The report relates to a project undertaken in a primary healthcare clinic in Cape Town, South Africa, between September and December 2020. We assessed diabetic patients who were returning to routine care following a period of de-escalated chronic services in accordance with COVD-19 lockdown regulations that were implemented in primary care facilities. A home-delivery of medication (HDM) service by Community Health Workers was implemented in the lockdown period to ensure uninterrupted access to chronic medication. This service was used by approximately 72% of chronic patients. We assessed glycemic control amongst a cohort of returning diabetics compared to the pre-lockdown period, and then compared the control of HDM recipients and non-HDM recipients within the larger cohort. We also performed qualitative semi-structured interviews on a random sample of patients in the HDM group to understand their experience of the service and care preferences going forward. The study was performed in an inter-wave period between the first and second C19 waves and was limited by research restrictions that applied within primary care facilities.

The research team consists of a Family Physician who is based at the facility, and the Head of the Division of Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a research coordinator. An initial data analysis and review of the qualitative interviews has been performed but the trial team are currently saturated with other work and have remaining funds in the trial budget that we are able to allocate to a medical writer who can assist with the preparation of the manuscript, up to the point of successful submission.