The PARTNER Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PregnAncy Risk assessmenT aNd dEcision suppoRt (PARTNER): A Clinical Decision Tool To Reduce Placental Disorders and Preterm birth in Pregnancy
IRAS ID
327559
Contact name
Adam Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Every year in the UK, there are 25,000 pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia, 3000 stillbirths and 60,000 preterm births. The number of complications that occur vary from hospital to hospital, which is thought to be due to differences in care provided for women and pregnant people.
The Tommy’s National Centre for Maternity Improvement has developed the Tommy’s Pathway: a Clinical Decision Support Tool for use by women and pregnant people, midwives and doctors. The Tool is made up of assessments which help to identify potential issues for pregnant women and people. These assessments have been demonstrated to be effective in other studies, but the Tool needs to be assessed as a whole package.
In the PARTNER trial, the whole hospital will be randomised to either use the Clinical Decision Support Tool to calculate the woman or pregnant person's risk of pregnancy problems and associated care pathways, or to follow their local hospital processes to calculate risks and associated care pathways. This called a ‘cluster’ randomised trial and reduces the likelihood of patients being treated with a mixture of both interventions. The trial aims to collect data from 62400 women and pregnant people who use the maternity services within these trusts. Data will be collected from the booking appointment until 28 days after the end of their pregnancy from routinely collected hospital maternity records and from the Tool (intervention sites only).We will compare the number of those with pregnancy problems who have had care from hospitals using the Tool, with those not using the Tool. The results will help the NHS decide if the Tommy’s Pathway: a Clinical Decision Support Tool reduces the number of pregnancy problems, is acceptable to women/pregnant people and HCPs, if it improves outcomes for mother and babies, and also if it saves the NHS money.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EE/0042
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion