GFFS Evaluation v1.0

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Getting Fit for Surgery Pathway Evaluation

• IRAS ID

  258508

• Contact name

  Amanda Owen-Smith

• Contact email

  a.owen-smith@bris.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Bristol

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 8 months, 25 days

• Research summary

  This study is using different research methods to investigate the impact of a recent policy introduced by Bath & North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (B&NES CCG) which effectively limits access to some elective surgeries for patients who smoke, or who are very overweight (BMI 30 or above). Instead of being referred directly to surgery, patients are requested to use NHS-provided behaviour-change interventions, such as attending smoking cessation clinics or making guided attempts at weight loss. Following the interventions (which can take 3-6 months) suitability for surgery is re-assessed. Although this policy has been in place for people who need hip and knee surgery for over a year, so far there has been no attempt to evaluate its impact, either in terms of the numbers and characteristics of people treated, or the impact on the day-to-day experiences of patients and clinicians affected.
  In this study, we are using routinely-collected data to look at which patients are entering the new ‘getting fit for surgery’ (GFFS) pathway for hip and knee surgery, analysing their clinical and social characteristics (such as their weight and income group), and what happens to them as they progress through the pathway. In addition, we are conducting detailed interviews with a range of NHS stakeholders who have been affected by the implementation of the GFFS policy. This will include hip and knee patients who have had their access to care delayed, doctors whose practice has been impacted by the implementation of the policy, and NHS managers who were involved in developing the scheme, and will decide how it will be rolled out in the future.

• REC name

  North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/NW/0353

• Date of REC Opinion

  30 May 2019

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion