Evaluating the headache pathway
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the headache pathway: patients’ views and experiences.
IRAS ID
197698
Contact name
Leone Ridsdale
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 0 days
Research summary
The Chief Investigator has been working on developing GPs knowledge and skills to diagnose and manage Migraine/Headache for over 15 years. Funding for this research has previously come from the Medical Research Council, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, and the National Institute for Health Research. Previous research has identified that the main reason for GP referral of people with headache to a neurologist is to get a scan. The Department of Health has supported GPs having more access to scans, including MRI’s, but it is not known what outcomes this will have for patients either referred directly for a scan by their GP, or to a neurologist.
The main aim of this study is to describe patients’ views of open access to MRI for headache versus referral to a neurologist for this. To accomplish this, about 20 patients with headaches across Lambeth and Southwark will be interviewed, in order to gauge opinions and experiences of either direct access or neurology referral at least 2 months after the scan was undertaken. This follows on from a previous study intervention, in which a GP with a Special Interest in headache visited GP practices in Lambeth and Southwark providing an educational package (see below for details). The interviews conducted with patients will in part shed light on the outcomes of this educational package on patient care.REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0381
Date of REC Opinion
18 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion