DIAMOND-Lewy assessment & management toolkits: Process evaluation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving the diagnosis and management of neurodegenerative dementia of Lewy body type in the NHS (DIAMOND-Lewy): Work package 5C Assessment tool and management guidelines: Process evaluation of pilot study
IRAS ID
202137
Contact name
Simon Douglas
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
This programme grant is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and focuses on Lewy body dementia (LBD) which includes two related disorders: dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). The signs and symptoms of LBD are often hard to detect and currently only about one in three cases are diagnosed; as a result many patients with LBD do not receive the best possible management. The programme has two main aims:
(i) To improve the recognition and prompt diagnosis of LBD through the introduction of a simple assessment tool.
(ii) To improve patient management and outcomes through the development and introduction of evidence-based management guidelines for clinicians.The programme will involve memory/dementia assessment services and movement disorder services from NHS Trusts in North-East England and East Anglia. It consists of 5 linked work packages (WP) with the following aims:
WP1: To examine the proportion of LBD cases currently diagnosed and compare the management pathways of LBD and non-LBD patients.
WP2: To explore and understand barriers to improving the diagnosis and management of LBD.
WP3: To develop evidence-based practical management guidelines for clinicians. This will involve a systematic review of existing evidence and input from expert clinical and PPI panels
WP4: To pilot the assessment tool and management guidelines to ensure that they can be integrated into current NHS services.
WP5: To implement the assessment tool and conduct a pilot cluster randomised trial of the management guidelines, to assess the viability of a full trial.
Work packages 1-4 are now complete; this application concerns the process evaluation embedded in WP5.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
16/WA/0098
Date of REC Opinion
21 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion