GISMO

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  a befriendinG intervention for loneliness and social ISolation: Measuring Outcomes from a longitudinal cohort study

• IRAS ID

  323913

• Contact name

  Karl Charlton

• Contact email

  karl.charlton@neas.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Mrs

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  N/A, N/A

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 9 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Some people who use services provided by the NHS, including the ambulance service, do not require medical attention, but may benefit from social prescribing. This involves prescribing patient's non-medical treatments, often provided by voluntary organisations.
  One group of people who may benefit from social prescribing are lonely older adults.
  Loneliness is an increasing problem in society and is associated with poorer physical and mental health. One form of social prescribing, befriending, may help. Befriending is offered by Age UK Teesside and involves one-to-one regular companionship provided by a volunteer. However, many people who are lonely may not seek out this help themselves, or indeed recognise loneliness in themselves.

  The ambulance service is well placed to identify lonely people. Paramedics spend considerable time with patients (in excess of a number of hours sometimes) so it is possible to have a sensitive, considered conversation with potential participants. Paramedics will identify loneliness in community dwellers, aged ≥65 years, with little or no contact with other people. Paramedics will receive written informed consent to share their name and contact details from the ambulance care record with the ambulance research team, who will then make a direct referral to Age UK. The research team will collect data remotely from Age UK about each patient and their time with the befriending programme. After 12 months, the patient will be asked to take part in a short telephone interview with the ambulance researcher about their experience. Participation in all aspects of this study is completely voluntary.

• REC name

  London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/LO/0315

• Date of REC Opinion

  9 May 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion