PROPEL

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A multi-method PRoject to maximise efficient and equitable pathways tO suPport from a rEgional epiLepsy centre

• IRAS ID

  352506

• Contact name

  Adam Noble

• Contact email

  adam.noble@liverpool.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Liverpool

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 6 months, 28 days

• Research summary

  
  In England, specialist care for suspected seizures ('fits') and epilepsy is usually provided through a hub-and-spoke model, with regional centres (hubs) supporting local clinics (spokes). While this system offers high-quality care to many, the multiple pathways into these services can lead to inequalities, and outdated data systems prevent services from fully understanding their effectiveness. The Neurological Alliance has suggested a 'single point of access' to simplify care, but it is unclear how to implement this and measure its success.

  PROPEL aims to help services for the first time identify what needs to change in order to offer fairer and more accessible care. By collecting data through focus groups with service users and providers at an exemplar hub site (Walton Centre), the project will identify which aspects of the current system work well and which don’t. It will also explore how a single point of access could in practice function and improve services. It will also seek to develop the basis of a system to track the impact of changes over time.

  The goals of the full PROPEL project are:

  • To understand what works and what doesn’t in the current service model, from the perspective of people with epilepsy, their supporters, and service providers.

  • To work together to develop solutions, such as creating a single point of access, to make the service fairer.

  • To develop ways to measure and track the success of changes even after the project ends.

  • To use routine data to track progress and improve epilepsy care.

  This IRAS application focuses on just 3 specific components of the wider PROPEL project:

  • Stage 1: Exploring service users' views on the current service model and potential improvements (online focus groups).

  • Stage 2: Exploring service providers' views on the same topics (in-person focus groups).

  • Stage 4: Gathering stakeholder feedback on proposed changes (online focus groups).
  

• REC name

  London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/PR/0065

• Date of REC Opinion

  5 Feb 2025

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion