The Mant Report supports the need to involve primary care practitioners and their patients in research and development. This paper questions why this key report, that recognized the need for involvement of health care staff in R&D, did not identify the need for practitioner research methods in community practice. Next, it explores what is meant by practitioner-centred research and locates action research within this context. Drawing on ‘critical realism’ and ‘subtle realism’, the arguments for the use of action research in community research and development are explored. Caution is given to adopting extreme perspectives and, in preference to ‘practitioner-centred research’, practice-centred research is advocated. In conclusion, the paper suggests that the world of R&D is changing and that the time is right for influencing the uptake of alternative methods. It is suggested, given that 90% of contacts between the population and the NHS take place in primary care, it is vitally important that community-based practitioners are well versed with these arguments in order to move forward the debate and bring it closer to a vision of research that places practitioners more centrally in the process of research.

The East London and Essex Network of Researchers (ELENoR) funded a project to develop R&D capacity among practice nurses. The ELENoR nurses forum chose the topic, which was ‘Older people’s experiences of primary care’, using qualitative interviews as the main method. The project was designed to enable nurses to participate as much or as little as suited their individual circumstances, and whatever their previous R&D experience. Compulsory training was provided, and ELENoR paid for all the time which was given to the project, travel expenses incurred and so on. This paper reviews the project, drawing on oral and written communications by participants and the personal experience of the authors.

Nine nurses from eight practices carried out 58 interviews, and four collaborated in the analysis. Those participating report a number of outcomes. Their own confidence in their ability to do research has increased; the work enabled them to reflect on their practice and to make changes (e.g., to how they provide health education to those with diabetes; making appropriate referrals to specialist services); and as a result of the participating nurses’ report, her practice team is reviewing particular aspects of how diabetes is managed. Two papers reporting the findings have been submitted for publication, one of which is published, and papers have been presented at national and international conferences.

The project represents a successful small-scale capacity building exercise achieved at a modest cost.