Evaluation of a primary care liver disease management framework_V1

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Evaluation of a liver disease detection and management framework in a primary care using a mixed methods evaluation

  • IRAS ID

    317792

  • Contact name

    Helen G Jarvis

  • Contact email

    helen.jarvis2@newcastle.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Newcastle University

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 9 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    What are the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a liver disease management framework in primary care from a professional and service user perspective?

    GPs have no nationally agreed way of looking after people with liver disease. Currently, most people (around three-quarters) with liver disease will go to their doctors when they already have advanced liver damage (cirrhosis).
    To reduce the impact of liver disease on patients and the NHS, we need to find disease earlier in general practice, and do something about it. This approach needs to be backed by research evidence and introduced in a way that is acceptable and useful for NHS staff and patients.

    We have already conducted interviews with GPs and other primary care professionals and developed an evidence based way to detect and manage liver disease in primary care. The next stage is to evaluate how successful this way of managing liver disease in primary care is - both from a health care professional and service user perspective.

    We will conduct:

    1. Interviews with service users who have experienced the liver disease management pathway to look at acceptability.
    2. A survey and interviews with health care professionals to explore barriers and facilitators to embedding the pathway into everyday practice.

    Professionals and service users will be recruited from practices participating in the new liver disease framework, with support from the North East Commissioning Support Unit (NECS). The research is funded by an NIHR doctoral research fellowship.

    We will ensure all participants’ data are anonymised and stored securely. The study will start when permission is obtained (from Sept 2022 onwards) and last 9 months. The findings will be written up for publication and shared with participants and stakeholders. We anticipate the benefits of this study to be evidence to support national roll-out of a primary care liver disease management framework.

  • REC name

    Wales REC 5

  • REC reference

    22/WA/0240

  • Date of REC Opinion

    8 Sep 2022

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion