SAFE study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Supporting Action through First-aid Education (SAFE) study
IRAS ID
200280
Contact name
Julie Mytton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of the West of England
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
The British Red Cross have commissioned a study to explore the complex reasons patients choose to attend urgent care services including Walk-in-centres (WiC), Minor injuries units (MIU) and Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E).
We wish to understand how first-aid education interventions could help people who use urgent care services. To achieve this, we will explore why people use urgent care services. This may include a number of reasons but may include the type of problem, personal choice and convenience. We will also explore how first aid information and skills might influence choice of where and when care was sought.
The project includes five linked studies. The first is a literature review of policies that require or recommend that people attend urgent care services (ethics approval not required). The second study involves interviews with Healthcare Professionals (HCP). It does not require consideration by the NHS ethics committee but has gained approval from the University of the West of England's ethics committee
We are applying for NHS ethical review of our final three studies. In Study 3 we plan to ask a convenience sample of patients or carers attending urgent care services in Bristol to complete a short survey on a tablet computer. Patients and carers will approached after triage or after treatment. We will ask participants if they would like to take part in Study 4; a more detailed interview about their recent healthcare experience to better understand their decision making prior to attending that urgent care setting. Interviews may be face to face or by phone depending on participant preference.
In Study 5 we will hold focus groups with members of the public to test out the emerging findings from studies 1-4 regarding who might benefit from first aid education and skills prior to making a decision to attend urgent care services.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0235
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion