Shared Decision Making between Paramedics and People with Dementia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring Shared Decision Making between Paramedics and People with Memory Problems
IRAS ID
327538
Contact name
Daniel M Lindley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Leeds Beckett University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Dementia is a disease that causes problems with memory and judgement and it affects almost 1 million people in the UK. People who live with dementia also have other health problems and routinely use NHS services and ambulances.
Of all the patients an emergency ambulance attends, people with dementia represent approximately 14%. Paramedics often make decisions for someone with dementia such as treatment choices or conveyance decisions. Paramedics believe making those decisions is in the best interests of someone with dementia. However, being involved in a decision that affects them is important to someone with dementia. Being part of the decision making process is good person centred care and is a legal right for all patients whether they have dementia or not.
This study will explore for the first time, how people with dementia are involved in the decision making process during an emergency call out. To do this, it will make use of direct observations of interactions between a paramedic and someone with dementia, patient care records and interviews with paramedics, people with dementia and their supporters.
By doing this, the study will be able to understand any issues, identify good practice, find areas of practice that can be improved and highlight the individual voices and experiences of those who participated in the study.
The researcher is a registered and active paramedic and an employee of the partner organisation where the research will take place.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0384
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion