Over 650 people in Nottingham help to change the future of children’s healthcare
A research trial that set out to involve 105 children, young people and parents at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, has succeeded in recruiting over six times that number in just five weeks.
The Pay More Attention study led by Dr Kate Oulton is a national study comparing how hospital care and services are provided to and experienced by children and young people with long-term health conditions both with and without learning disabilities.
Part of the study involves asking children, young people, and their parents about their stay in hospital, using a questionnaire. Initially researchers from Nottingham Children’s Hospital set out to talk to 105 people, but in just five weeks, they were able to involve 655.
Dr Joseph Manning, Clinical-Academic Senior Research Fellow in Children, Young People and Families Nursing who led the study in Nottingham explains:
This is an amazing achievement. Our ambition at NUH is to be able to offer all patients the opportunity to participate in research. It is wonderful to see such fantastic engagement from our patients and their families who are so keen to be involved in the research that we do.
I just want to say a huge thank you to: the research nurses and officers and the ward teams at Nottingham Children’s Hospital for making this possible; and to the children, young people and families that participated.”
The Pay More Attention study, which is due to be completed this year, is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and began in 2016. NUH is one of six hospitals taking part in the third phase of the research, which has involved talking to children, young people and parents about their experiences of hospital care.
Professor Stephen Ryder, Director of Research and Innovation for NUH said:
What a fantastic achievement by all the staff in the children’s wards. We know research makes such a difference to children and young people’s lives. It takes great teamwork to involve as many people as possible in our research.