Rapid PIFU evaluation: impact and patient experience
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU): a rapid study of patient experience and local datasets
IRAS ID
319517
Contact name
Angus Ramsay
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2022/10/53, Sponsor data protection No
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
The NHS has been changing the way that outpatient services are provided. This includes giving patients more flexibility to manage their own care and arrange their follow-up appointments as and when they need them. This approach is known as Patient-Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU). This research aims to explore the implementation of PIFU services and patient experiences of receiving and engaging with PIFU outpatient services, as well as the impact of on the use of hospital services.
To do this, we will collect data in three NHS case study sites. We will speak with patients who have engaged with PIFU services, who have dis-engaged with PIFU services or declined PIFU. These interviews will help us to find out more about how people experience PIFU and the things that help or get in the way. We also plan to conduct quantitative analyses of national and local datasets to investigate the impact on service use among cohorts of patients transferred to PIFU pathways.
This research is important as it will help inform and provide learning about the roll-out and implementation of patient-initiated follow-up across hospital Trusts in England.
The study will run from January to June 2023 inclusive: key timelines are detailed in the study Gantt Chart
REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0143
Date of REC Opinion
13 Apr 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion