inFormation abOut RECovery After Stroke (FORECAST) v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of an intervention to improve provision of information about recovery on the stroke unit
IRAS ID
326231
Contact name
Louisa Burton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
Stroke can affect a wide range of a person’s abilities, including movement, sensation, thinking, memory, and communication. Rehabilitation in stroke units helps patients to regain these abilities, however many will continue to have difficulties with day-to-day activities after they leave hospital. Patients and their families need information about how much they are likely to recover and how long this might take. This can help them engage with rehabilitation, make decisions, plan for the future, and adjust to any continuing difficulties.
Currently many patients and families do not receive enough information about recovery. Stroke unit staff can also find this information difficult to provide, particularly when it involves breaking bad news. Staff need to provide clear, consistent and realistic information to their patients about recovery with compassion, whilst being careful that this information doesn’t discourage them from taking part in rehabilitation. They receive little training in how to do this and can lack confidence.
We aim to develop an intervention to improve the quality, consistency and delivery of information about recovery provided to patients and their families on stroke units. To do this, we will use a research method called co-production. We will help stroke survivors, carers, and stroke unit staff to work together over six meetings to decide how best to help staff provide information about recovery.
Although ideas for the intervention will come from this group, it could include staff training to improve their communication skills, and written information to provide to patients and their families to support conversations. Overall, the project will develop a staff-focused intervention to improve the quality, consistency and delivery of information about recovery to stroke survivors and their families.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/NW/0243
Date of REC Opinion
14 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion