PhRASe v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prehospital Recognition and Antibiotics for 999 patients with Sepsis (PhRASe): a feasibility study
IRAS ID
213623
Contact name
Chris Moore
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN36856873
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
In this study we aim to find out whether paramedics identifying; obtaining blood cultures from; and providing intravenous (IV) antibiotics to, patients with sepsis is feasible, safe and acceptable. This will enable us to make a decision about whether we should proceed to a fully-powered randomised controlled trial that can answer questions about whether the procedure is effective for patients and worthwhile for the NHS. We aim to recruit 60 paramedics out of approximately 100 working in the study area. Recruited paramedics will receive training in recognition of sepsis and the practical procedure of obtaining blood cultures. If sepsis is suspected, paramedics will take the next sequential individually issued scratchcard to randomly allocate the patient to intervention or usual care. We will follow up patients anonymously using routinely collected data and the SAIL (secure anonymised information linkage) databank to see if there are any differences in outcomes between groups, for example mortality rates, length of hospital stay, or time spent with paramedics. We will send patients a questionnaire at approximately 90 days after their 999 call to see if there is any difference in health-related quality of life or satisfaction with the care received from paramedics between the two groups (intervention and control). We will interview ten patients and hold a focus group with paramedics, to find out what they thought about and their experiences of the intervention.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
17/WA/0186
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion