Digitally Facilitated Multimodal Prehabilitation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Systematic development and feasibility testing of a digitally facilitated, remotely supervised, multimodal prehabilitation intervention for patients approaching major surgery.
IRAS ID
300425
Contact name
Gerard Danjoux
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Pending portfolio review, Registration in progress
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
People with better physical and mental health encounter fewer and less serious problems (complications) after major surgery. Complications prolong hospital stays, undermine recovery and longer-term quality of life increasing the patients and NHS costs of surgical care.
Improving health and wellbeing before surgery to reduce complication risk is known as prehabilitation. This may address physical inactivity, smoking, drinking, nutrition, sleep and psychological ill health. Most support is face-to-face and delivered in hospital. Demand is growing for new options, including 'remotely delivered' options undertaken flexibly at home.
We will design and develop (stage 1) then pilot (stage 2) a new web-based prehabilitation programme for surgical patients to use in the 6-8 weeks before their operation. Individualised support will be provided to tackle the issues above and improve readiness for surgery e.g. a structured exercise and/or stop smoking programme to follow. This will be accessible on multiple digital devices to be used as and when patients are able. Patients will be supervised and supported remotely by a healthcare professional while using the programme.
Stage 1:
We will follow established methods for systematic behaviour change intervention development. The resource will be 'co-designed' by a group of surgical patients, healthcare professionals involved in their care and a multidisciplinary research design team including health psychologists, risk factor specialists and web designers. The group will attend a series of workshops to review and comment on the programme as it develops, supported by interviews with group members.
Stage 2:
Patients preparing for major surgery at two NHS sites will be invited to ‘road-test’ the new programme in the weeks before their operation facilitated by healthcare professionals. We will assess the user-friendliness of the programme from the patient and staff perspective and observe changes in participant health and wellbeing while using the programme.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/NW/0219
Date of REC Opinion
15 Sep 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion