Praxeological Analysis (PA) and Critical Praxeological Analysis (CPA)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Praxeological Analysis (PA) and Critical Praxeological Analysis (CPA) of serious case reviews in South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust: a pilot proof-of-concept study for research and training
IRAS ID
372571
Contact name
Luise Marino
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This pilot study will explore whether Praxeological Analysis (PA) and Critical Praxeological Analysis (CPA)(1–3) can be used as practical research and training tools within South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The study will work with serious case reviews and related documents already held by the Trust. It will not involve direct contact with patients or service users.
Serious case reviews are often read for findings, recommendations, and lessons learned. This study asks a slightly different question. It will examine how the case is put together in the documents themselves: how concerns, risks, actions, decisions, responsibilities, and responses are described, and how particular ways of writing and framing a case can shape what later comes to seem reasonable, necessary, or difficult to avoid.
PA and CPA are interview-free methods that focus on meaning in context. Rather than treating key terms such as “risk,” “non-engagement,” “complexity,” or similar labels as if they had fixed meanings, the study will examine what such formulations are doing in the documents and what practical consequences they may have for understanding, accountability, and organisational learning.
The aim of this proof-of-concept study is to explore a pseudonymised data arising from clinical incident reports to see whether PA/CPA can help the Trust generate initial pilot data that could inform a future research project including practical training resources to support reflective practice, clearer documentation, and safer, fairer service learning. The pilot study using pseudonymised data set is intended to inform future collaborative work between the Trust and the research team.REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0170
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion