HIPPOCRATES: co-design of candidate interventions

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Co-design of candidate interventions for HIPPOCRATES: Health Inequalities in PerioPerative Outcomes - CReATing and Evaluating targeted Support interventions

  • IRAS ID

    358742

  • Contact name

    S. Ramani Moonesinghe

  • Contact email

    ramani.moonesinghe@nhs.net

  • Sponsor organisation

    University College London

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    Z6364106/2025/05/143 health research, Data protection reference number

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 1 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Our research team are conducting research to determine if interventions which are co-developed with patients experiencing socioeconomic deprivation, improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities after major surgery.

    The aim is to co-design interventions that are relevant to clinicians, patients and members of the public, and are likely to be acceptable and accessible to patients and the public, experiencing deprivation. For each of the three interventions that are co-designed the following approaches will take place:

    • Design ethnography: interviews and observations will be conducted in the settings where the interventions are to be implemented, such as in hospitals. The interviews and observations will take place healthcare professionals, and patients or the public.
    • Expert focus group discussions will take place with clinicians and stakeholders with expertise relevant to the interventions. The discussions will cover aspects of the interventions that are critical to success.
    • Five co-design workshops: with patients and members of the public with professionals.

    The interventions we will focus on are:
    1. Prehabilitation – identification of health and fitness challenges before major surgery, and improvement of health and health behaviours, including (but not limited to) exercise, tobacco use, alcohol use, and major comorbidities such as diabetes.
    2. Financial support – short-term financial support of patients before and/or after major surgery, which may take the form of cash or vouchers or guidance or increased accessibility to services and materials.
    3. Post-discharge surveillance – enhanced monitoring of patients after their initial discharge from hospital after major surgery, with the purpose of identifying and managing complications or deterioration in a timely manner.

    Outputs will be used to develop detailed proposals for each intervention that has been co-designed. Research findings from this co-design project will be submitted for publication, and when available will be shared with the participants of the research.

  • REC name

    West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    25/WM/0225

  • Date of REC Opinion

    18 Dec 2025

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion