Patient and staff experience of Fracture Liaison Services
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using patient and staff experience of Fracture Liaison Services (FLSs) to describe additional organisational factors that may predict FLS performance: a qualitative study using interviews and focus groups.
IRAS ID
321138
Contact name
MK Javaid
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford, Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance Team
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
Five hundred thousand adults in the UK break a bone after falling every year. For some patients, this could be the first sign of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become weakened and without treatment the bones get weaker and are even more likely to break.
The NHS funds teams of doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers to work as a Fracture Liaison Service and provide osteoporosis checks for patients after they have broken a bone. This is so patients identified as being at risk, can be started on treatment to prevent further broken bones.
Currently, Fracture Liaison Services across the NHS work in different ways and only one out of ten patients receive the best care, resulting in 90,000 patients failing receiving appropriate osteoporosis treatment each year.
This study aims to find out what helps or challenges patients and staff, if there are any issues or problems faced, when they receive or deliver care.
The study will be rigorous in its approach to interviews and analysis. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed. We will include a diverse range of participants, including men and adults who have Urdu as their first language. Privacy and dignity of the participants will be ensured.
Analysis will build on each individual interview to develop themes that reflect the experience of the participants. Focus groups of staff and patients will also be held to explore findings from the interviews and review any new organisational factors that may be identified.
The outcome of this research will be discussed with patient and public representatives. The results of this study will be published in journals, presented at conferences and circulated to patient and professional networks. This would help plan systematic changes within Fracture Liaison Services to help patients get better care.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0818
Date of REC Opinion
20 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion