Interprofessional Teamwork: A Qualitative Study on Adapting Central Policies to Local Conditions in a Labour and Delivery Unit.

OBJECTIVES: We record the experiences of staff in a labour, delivery, and obstetric services (LD-OBS) unit in Alberta's largest quaternary medical centre-the Foothills Medical Centre (FMC)-as they navigated hospital policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examine how unit leadership applied these policies to better align with care delivery realities while staying true to the interprofessional nature of the unit. METHODS: A total of 12 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with LD-OBS unit staff. Snowball and purposive sampling strategies were used to capture experiences from key informants. Interview transcripts underwent inductive coding. The themes identified through this process were discussed with members of the authorial team until a consensus was reached. RESULTS: FMC LD-OBS team members used 'interprofessional' as a value through which to interpret, adapt, and implement centrally developed COVID-19 policies. These were applied at 3 key moments: reconfiguring the unit, triaging, and rerouting patients, and contesting central personal protective equipment policies. LD-OBS leaders championed the importance of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in the unit and worked to uphold it as a practice and value. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic experience of the FMC LD-OBS unit illustrates the importance of considering interprofessionalism as a core value as policy was developed and implemented. Health authorities, hospitals, and other LD-OBS units may wish to consider how interprofessional work affects policy interpretation among health care teams, and how this may be leveraged to successfully adapt policies to local units, under both pandemic and 'normal' conditions.

Interprofessional clinical event debriefing-does it make a difference? Attitudes of emergency department care providers to INFO clinical event debriefings.

BACKGROUND: Debriefing is increasingly used in clinical environments. Surveys indicate staff support for debriefing clinical events, but little is known about the specific effects of debriefing on healthcare workers in the workplace. INFO (Immediate, Not for personal assessment, Fast facilitated feedback, and Opportunity to support and ask questions) is a charge nurse facilitated clinical event debriefing program implemented in 2016 and currently used in five Emergency Departments (ED) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. There have been more than 840 documented INFO debriefings. METHODS: Thirty interprofessional ED healthcare workers were recruited through posters and email to take part in voluntary one-on-one interviews using a standardized question script that asked participants about their experience with INFO debriefing assessments. Specifically, participants were asked to provide demographic information, give feedback about their involvement in INFO clinical debriefings, impact of debriefings on their clinical practice, stress levels and wellbeing. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo software. RESULTS: Forty-five healthcare workers replied to the initial recruitment methods with fifteen not responding to follow-up communication. Overall, staff satisfaction with INFO debriefing was highly rated. A qualitative thematic analysis to saturation approach was used to analyse the data. Five main themes were identified: 1.Effect of debriefing on clinical practice and patient care. 2. Psychological safety and teamwork. 3. Emotional acknowledgment after critical events. 4. Managing work stress in the ED. 5. Barriers to debriefing. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, debriefing in the ED helped interprofessional healthcare workers manage stress, provide improved patient care and teamwork while acknowledging emotions. This study specifically involved INFO, however, there are similarities that make our findings applicable to other clinical event debriefing programs. We believe this study provides further evidence supporting debriefing in clinical care areas.

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: Le débriefing est de plus en plus utilisé dans les environnements cliniques. Les enquêtes indiquent que le personnel est favorable au débriefing des événements cliniques, mais on sait peu de choses sur les effets spécifiques du débriefing sur les travailleurs de la santé sur le lieu de travail. INFO (Immediate, Not for personal assessment, Fast facilitated feedback, and Opportunity to support and ask questions) est un programme de débriefing d'événements cliniques animé par l'infirmière en chef, mis en œuvre en 2016 et actuellement utilisé dans cinq services d'urgence (SU) à Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Il y a eu plus de 840 débriefings INFO documentés. MéTHODES: Trente travailleurs interprofessionnels des services d'urgence ont été recrutés par le biais d'affiches et de courriels pour participer à des entretiens individuels volontaires à l'aide d'un script de questions standardisé qui demandait aux participants de parler de leur expérience des évaluations de débriefing INFO. Plus précisément, les participants ont été invités à fournir des informations démographiques, à donner leur avis sur leur participation aux débriefings cliniques INFO, sur l'impact des débriefings sur leur pratique clinique, sur leur niveau de stress et sur leur bien-être. Les entretiens ont été transcrits et analysés à l'aide du logiciel NVivo. RéSULTATS: Quarante-cinq travailleurs de la santé ont répondu aux méthodes de recrutement initiales, quinze n'ont pas répondu à la communication de suivi. Dans l'ensemble, la satisfaction du personnel à l'égard du compte rendu d'INFO a été très bonne. Une analyse thématique qualitative jusqu'à saturation a été utilisée pour analyser les données. Cinq thèmes principaux ont été identifiés : 1. l'effet du débriefing sur la pratique clinique et les soins aux patients. 2. La sécurité psychologique et le travail en équipe. 3. Reconnaissance émotionnelle après des événements critiques. 4. Gestion du stress au travail dans les services d'urgence. 5. Obstacles au débriefing. CONCLUSIONS: Dans cette étude, le débriefing aux urgences a aidé les travailleurs de la santé interprofessionnels à gérer le stress, à améliorer les soins aux patients et le travail d'équipe tout en reconnaissant les émotions. Cette étude a porté spécifiquement sur INFO, mais il existe des similitudes qui rendent nos résultats applicables à d'autres programmes de débriefing d'événements cliniques. Nous pensons que cette étude apporte des preuves supplémentaires en faveur du débriefing dans les domaines des soins cliniques.

Addressing personal protective equipment (PPE) decontamination: Methylene blue and light inactivates severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on N95 respirators and medical masks with maintenance of integrity and fit.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), underscoring the urgent need for simple, efficient, and inexpensive methods to decontaminate masks and respirators exposed to severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We hypothesized that methylene blue (MB) photochemical treatment, which has various clinical applications, could decontaminate PPE contaminated with coronavirus. DESIGN: The 2 arms of the study included (1) PPE inoculation with coronaviruses followed by MB with light (MBL) decontamination treatment and (2) PPE treatment with MBL for 5 cycles of decontamination to determine maintenance of PPE performance. METHODS: MBL treatment was used to inactivate coronaviruses on 3 N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) and 2 medical mask models. We inoculated FFR and medical mask materials with 3 coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and we treated them with 10 µM MB and exposed them to 50,000 lux of white light or 12,500 lux of red light for 30 minutes. In parallel, integrity was assessed after 5 cycles of decontamination using multiple US and international test methods, and the process was compared with the FDA-authorized vaporized hydrogen peroxide plus ozone (VHP+O3) decontamination method. RESULTS: Overall, MBL robustly and consistently inactivated all 3 coronaviruses with 99.8% to >99.9% virus inactivation across all FFRs and medical masks tested. FFR and medical mask integrity was maintained after 5 cycles of MBL treatment, whereas 1 FFR model failed after 5 cycles of VHP+O3. CONCLUSIONS: MBL treatment decontaminated respirators and masks by inactivating 3 tested coronaviruses without compromising integrity through 5 cycles of decontamination. MBL decontamination is effective, is low cost, and does not require specialized equipment, making it applicable in low- to high-resource settings.

Implementing emergency admission risk prediction in general practice: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Using computer software in general practice to predict patient risk of emergency hospital admission has been widely advocated, despite limited evidence about effects. In a trial evaluating the introduction of a Predictive Risk Stratification Model (PRISM), statistically significant increases in emergency hospital admissions and use of other NHS services were reported without evidence of benefits to patients or the NHS. AIM: To explore GPs' and practice managers' experiences of incorporating PRISM into routine practice. DESIGN AND SETTING: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with GPs and practice managers in 18 practices in rural, urban, and suburban areas of south Wales. METHOD: Interviews (30-90 min) were conducted at 3-6 months after gaining PRISM access, and ∼18 months later. Data were analysed thematically using Normalisation Process Theory. RESULTS: Responders (n = 22) reported that the decision to use PRISM was based mainly on fulfilling Quality and Outcomes Framework incentives. Most applied it to <0.5% practice patients over a few weeks. Using PRISM entailed undertaking technical tasks, sharing information in practice meetings, and making small-scale changes to patient care. Use was inhibited by the model not being integrated with practice systems. Most participants doubted any large-scale impact, but did cite examples of the impact on individual patient care and reported increased awareness of patients at high risk of emergency admission to hospital. CONCLUSION: Qualitative results suggest mixed views of predictive risk stratification in general practice and raised awareness of highest-risk patients potentially affecting rates of unplanned hospital attendance and admissions. To inform future policy, decision makers need more information about implementation and effects of emergency admission risk stratification tools in primary and community settings.

A "Shock Test" to Primary Care Integration: COVID-19 Lessons from Alberta.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed primary care (PC), and policies aimed at integrating it into provincial health systems, to a "shock test." This paper draws on documentary analysis and qualitative interviews with PC and health system stakeholders to examine shifts in Alberta's pre-pandemic PC integration model during the first nine months of the pandemic. We begin with an account of three elements of the province's pre-pandemic model: finance, health authority activity and community activity. We describe these elements as they shifted, focusing on two indicators of change: novel virtual care billing codes and personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution channels. We draw out policy planning lessons for improving PC integration under normal and future pandemic conditions, namely, by facilitating rapid updates of virtual care billing codes, analyses of the impact of care delivery and backstopping of PPE markets and supply chains for PC.

Achieving Resilience in Primary Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Competing Visions and Lessons from Alberta.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resilience of health systems broadly and primary care (PC) specifically. This paper begins by distinguishing the technical and political aspects of resilience and then draws on a documentary analysis and qualitative interviews with health system and PC stakeholders to examine competing resilience-focused responses to the pandemic in Alberta, Canada. We describe the pre-existing linkages between the province's central service delivery agency and its independent PC clinics. Together, these central and independent elements make up Alberta's broader health system, with the focus of this paper being on PC's particular vision of how resilience ought to be achieved. We describe two specific, pandemic-affected areas of activity by showing how competing visions of resilience emerged in the central service delivery agency and independent PC responses as they met at the system's points of linkage. At the first point of linkage, we describe the centralized activation of an incident management system and the replies made by independent PC stakeholders. At the second point of linkage, we describe central efforts to disseminate infection prevention and control guidance to PC clinics and the improvisational efforts of staff at those independent clinics to operationalize the guidance and ensure continuity of operations. We identify gaps between the resilience visions of the central agency and independent PC, drawing broadly applicable policy lessons for improving responses in present and future public health emergencies. Finding ways to include PC in centralized resilience policy planning is a priority.

Randomised feasibility study of prehospital recognition and antibiotics for emergency patients with sepsis (PhRASe).

Severe sepsis is a time critical condition which is known to have a high mortality rate. Evidence suggests that early diagnosis and early administration of antibiotics can reduce morbidity and mortality from sepsis. The prehospital phase of emergency medical care may provide the earliest opportunity for identification of sepsis and delivery of life-saving treatment for patients. We aimed to assess the feasibility of (1) paramedics recognising and screening patients for severe sepsis, collecting blood cultures and administering intravenous antibiotics; and (2) trial methods in order to decide whether a fully-powered trial should be undertaken to determine safety and effectiveness of this intervention. Paramedics were trained in using a sepsis screening tool, aseptic blood culture collection and administration of intravenous antibiotics. If sepsis was suspected, paramedics randomly allocated patients to intervention or usual care using scratchcards. Patients were followed up at 90 days using linked anonymised data to capture length of hospital admission and mortality. We collected self-reported health-related quality of life at 90 days. We pre-specified criteria for deciding whether to progress to a fully-powered trial based on: recruitment of paramedics and patients; delivery of the intervention; retrieval of outcome data; safety; acceptability; and success of anonymised follow-up. Seventy-four of the 104 (71.2%) eligible paramedics agreed to take part and 54 completed their training (51.9%). Of 159 eligible patients, 146 (92%) were recognised as eligible by study paramedics, and 118 were randomised (74% of eligible patients, or 81% of those recognised as eligible). Four patients subsequently dissented to be included in the trial (3%), leaving 114 patients recruited to follow-up. All recruited patients were matched to routine data outcomes in the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank. Ninety of the 114 (79%) recruited patients had sepsis or a likely bacterial infection recorded in ED. There was no evidence of any difference between groups in patient satisfaction, and no adverse reactions reported. There were no statistically significant differences between intervention and control groups in Serious Adverse Events (ICU admissions; deaths). This feasibility study met its pre-determined progression criteria; an application will therefore be prepared and submitted for funding for a fully-powered multi-centre randomised trial.Trial registration: ISRCTN36856873 sought 16th May 2017; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN36856873.

Virtual tabletop simulations for primary care pandemic preparedness and response.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted widescale use of clinical simulations to improve procedures and practices. We outline our deployment of a virtual tabletop simulation (TTS) method in primary care (PC) clinics across Alberta, Canada. We summarise the quality and safety improvements from this method and report end users' perspectives on key elements. METHODS: Our virtual TTS used teleconferencing software alongside digital whiteboards to walk clinic stakeholders through patient scenarios. Participants reviewed and rehearsed their workflows and care practices. The goal was for staff to take ownership over gaps and codesigned solutions. After simulation sessions, follow-up interviews were conducted to collect feedback. RESULTS: These sessions helped PC staff identify and codesign solutions for clinical hazards and threats. These included the flow of patients through clinics, communications, redesignation of physical spaces, and adaptation of guidance for cleaning and personal protective equipment use. End users reported sessions provided neutral spaces to discuss practice changes and built confidence in delivering safe care during the pandemic. DISCUSSION: TTS has not been extensively deployed to improve clinical practice in outpatient environments. We show how virtual TTS can bridge gaps between knowledge and practice by offering a guided space to rehearse clinical changes. We show that virtual TTS can be used in multiple contexts to help identify hazards, improve safety and build confidence in professional teams adapting to rapid changes in both policies and practices. While our sessions were conducted in Alberta, our results suggest this method may be deployed in other contexts, including low-resource settings.

Pour des soins plus sécuritaires pour les patients : élaboration d'un programme de retour au travail en anesthésie fondé sur les besoins après un congé non relié au travail.

PURPOSE: During anesthesiologists' careers, a leave of absence (LOA) is common. After prolonged leave, updating may be beneficial in reducing concerns about knowledge and skill decrements. Although formal return-to-work (RTW) courses and checklists assist UK practitioners, and Australia mandates a one-month RTW program for each year away from practice, no Canadian RTW programs exist. This project aimed to determine the needs of anesthesiologists for an RTW program. METHODS: This quality improvement activity developed a needs analysis survey that was sent to all practicing anesthesiologists in Alberta. Respondents provided their opinions about the requirements necessary for an RTW program. RESULTS: Seventy-three of 350 eligible participants (21%) responded; one-third of respondents were female. Thirty-four respondents (47%) had taken at least one LOA, with a median [interquartile range] duration of 6 [3-12] months. Overall, respondents thought the duration of an LOA requiring formal RTW updating should be 12 [6-15] months, with a median updating period of 7 [5-20] days. Those who had previously taken an LOA thought updating should occur after a shorter absence (11 [6-12] vs 12 [6-24] months, P = 0.009) and be shorter (5 [3-12] vs 10 [5-26] days, P = 0.007). Comments indicated RTW updating should be flexible and individualized. Upgrades of computer systems and equipment plus specific skills retraining were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Leave of absences are common among anesthesiologists. Appropriate departmental support before, during, and after a gap in clinical practice could be provided by an RTW program to help endorse knowledge, skills, and confidence. Results identified the needs of Albertan anesthesiologists and provided initial guidance in the design of a user-centred RTW program.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Beaucoup d'anesthésiologistes prennent des congés personnels pendant leur carrière. Après un congé prolongé, la mise à jour des compétences peut être bénéfique pour réduire les inquiétudes en matière de connaissances et de perte de compétences. Il existe des cours et des listes de contrôle officiels de retour au travail pour épauler les praticiens au Royaume-Uni, et l'Australie exige que les praticiens suivent un programme de retour au travail d'un mois pour chaque année sans pratique; cependant, il n'existe aucun programme canadien de retour au travail. L'objectif de ce projet était de déterminer les besoins des anesthésiologistes pour un programme de retour au travail. MéTHODE: Cette activité d'amélioration de la qualité de l'acte a mis au point un sondage d'analyse des besoins qui a été envoyé à tous les anesthésiologistes en exercice en Alberta. Les répondants ont partagé leurs opinions sur les critères requis pour un programme de retour au travail. RéSULTATS: Soixante-treize des 350 participants admissibles (21 %) ont répondu; un tiers des répondants étaient des femmes. Trente-quatre répondants (47 %) avait pris au moins un congé, avec une durée médiane [écart interquartile] de 6 [3-12] mois. Dans l'ensemble, les répondants étaient d'accord pour dire que la durée d'un congé nécessitant une mise à jour officielle pour le retour au travail devrait être de 12 mois [6-15], avec une période médiane de mise à jour de 7 [5-20] jours. Ceux qui avaient déjà pris un congé estimaient que la mise à jour devrait être organisée après une absence plus courte (11 [6-12] vs 12 [6-24] mois, P = 0,009) et être plus courte (5 [3-12] vs 10 [5-26] jours, P = 0,007). Selon les commentaires, la mise à jour de retour au travail devrait être flexible et individualisée. Des mises à niveau sur les systèmes informatiques et l'équipement ainsi qu'un recyclage spécifique des compétences ont été identifiés. CONCLUSION: Les congés sont fréquents chez les anesthésiologistes. Un soutien départemental adéquat avant, pendant et après un congé de la pratique clinique devrait être offert via un programme de retour au travail afin d'assister les cliniciens au niveau de leurs connaissances, de leurs compétences et de leur confiance. Nos résultats ont permis d'identifier les besoins des anesthésiologistes albertains et ont fourni des orientations initiales pour la conception d'un programme de retour au travail centré sur l'utilisateur.

Rapid conversion of an in-patient hospital unit to accommodate COVID-19: An interdisciplinary human factors, ethnography, and infection prevention and control approach.

BACKGROUND: In response to the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, in-patient units in hospitals around the world have altered their patient care routines and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices. Our interdisciplinary team of applied Human Factors (HF), ethnography, and IPC experts assisted one Unit, normally serving general surgical and orthopedic patients, as it rapidly converted to deliver COVID-19-specific care. This paper describes the conversion experience of the Unit, and outlines broader lessons for other acute care teams faced with similar issues. METHODS: We deployed walkthroughs, simulations, and ethnography to identify important safety gaps in care delivery processes on the Unit. These interventions were undertaken using interdisciplinary theories of implementation that combined systems-level HF perspectives, ethnographic approaches, and individual-level IPC perspectives. Timely recommendations were developed and delivered to Unit staff for feedback and implementation. RESULTS: We describe three interventions on the Unit: 1) the de-cluttering and re-organization of personal protective equipment (PPE); 2) the reconfiguring of designated 'dirty' tray tables and supplies; and 3) the redesign of handling pathways for 'dirty' linens and laundry. Each of these interventions was implemented to varying degrees, but all contributed to discussions of safety and IPC implementation that extended beyond the Unit and into the operations of the broader hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Leveraging our team's interdisciplinary expertise and blended approaches to implementation, the interventions assisted in the Unit's rapid conversion towards providing COVID-19-specific care. The deployment and implementation of the interventions highlight the potential of collaboration between HF, ethnography, and IPC experts to support frontline healthcare delivery under pandemic conditions in an effort to minimize nosocomial transmission potential in the acute healthcare setting.

Protocol for the development of the Wales Multimorbidity e-Cohort (WMC): data sources and methods to construct a population-based research platform to investigate multimorbidity.

INTRODUCTION: Multimorbidity is widely recognised as the presence of two or more concurrent long-term conditions, yet remains a poorly understood global issue despite increasing in prevalence.We have created the Wales Multimorbidity e-Cohort (WMC) to provide an accessible research ready data asset to further the understanding of multimorbidity. Our objectives are to create a platform to support research which would help to understand prevalence, trajectories and determinants in multimorbidity, characterise clusters that lead to highest burden on individuals and healthcare services, and evaluate and provide new multimorbidity phenotypes and algorithms to the National Health Service and research communities to support prevention, healthcare planning and the management of individuals with multimorbidity. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The WMC has been created and derived from multisourced demographic, administrative and electronic health record data relating to the Welsh population in the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. The WMC consists of 2.9 million people alive and living in Wales on the 1 January 2000 with follow-up until 31 December 2019, Welsh residency break or death. Published comorbidity indices and phenotype code lists will be used to measure and conceptualise multimorbidity.Study outcomes will include: (1) a description of multimorbidity using published data phenotype algorithms/ontologies, (2) investigation of the associations between baseline demographic factors and multimorbidity, (3) identification of temporal trajectories of clusters of conditions and multimorbidity and (4) investigation of multimorbidity clusters with poor outcomes such as mortality and high healthcare service utilisation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The SAIL Databank independent Information Governance Review Panel has approved this study (SAIL Project: 0911). Study findings will be presented to policy groups, public meetings, national and international conferences, and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Understanding and responding to COVID-19 in Wales: protocol for a privacy-protecting data platform for enhanced epidemiology and evaluation of interventions.

INTRODUCTION: The emergence of the novel respiratory SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent COVID-19 pandemic have required rapid assimilation of population-level data to understand and control the spread of infection in the general and vulnerable populations. Rapid analyses are needed to inform policy development and target interventions to at-risk groups to prevent serious health outcomes. We aim to provide an accessible research platform to determine demographic, socioeconomic and clinical risk factors for infection, morbidity and mortality of COVID-19, to measure the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare utilisation and long-term health, and to enable the evaluation of natural experiments of policy interventions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Two privacy-protecting population-level cohorts have been created and derived from multisourced demographic and healthcare data. The C20 cohort consists of 3.2 million people in Wales on the 1 January 2020 with follow-up until 31 May 2020. The complete cohort dataset will be updated monthly with some individual datasets available daily. The C16 cohort consists of 3 million people in Wales on the 1 January 2016 with follow-up to 31 December 2019. C16 is designed as a counterfactual cohort to provide contextual comparative population data on disease, health service utilisation and mortality. Study outcomes will: (a) characterise the epidemiology of COVID-19, (b) assess socioeconomic and demographic influences on infection and outcomes, (c) measure the impact of COVID-19 on short -term and longer-term population outcomes and (d) undertake studies on the transmission and spatial spread of infection. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Secure Anonymised Information Linkage-independent Information Governance Review Panel has approved this study. The study findings will be presented to policy groups, public meetings, national and international conferences, and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Integrating the social sciences into the COVID-19 response in Alberta, Canada.

This paper outlines the rapid integration of social scientists into a Canadian province's COVID-19 response. We describe the motivating theory, deployment and initial outcomes of our team of Organisational Sociologist ethnographers, Human Factors experts and Infection Prevention and Control clinicians focused on understanding and improving Alberta's responsiveness to the pandemic. Specifically, that interdisciplinary team is working alongside acute and primary care personnel, as well as public health leaders to deliver 'situated interventions' that flow from studying communications, interpretations and implementations across responding organisations. Acting in real time, the team is providing critical insights on policy communication and implementation to targeted members of the health system. Using our rapid and ongoing deployment as a case study of social science techniques applied to a pandemic, we describe how other health systems might leverage social science to improve their preparations and communications.

Developing and evaluating a model of public involvement and engagement embedded in a national longitudinal study: HealthWise Wales.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide large cohort studies have invested in community engagement to promote studies and aid recruitment. HealthWise Wales, a national population study, aims to create a register of 'research ready' participants and provide long-term follow up data on health behaviours, outcomes and wider social and environmental determinants. Public involvement and engagement was key to the development of HealthWise Wales. We describe how a model for promoting HealthWise Wales was co-produced with members of the public. METHODS: Members of the public were invited to take part in a workshop, either in North or South Wales, to discuss public involvement in long-term cohort studies. Information on community engagement, projects that had used the concept of "citizen scientists" to promote involvement, and other large longitudinal studies was provided to 15 members of the public prior to the meeting. Eight of these attended the workshops, to explore the concept of citizen scientist and how it may relate to HealthWise Wales. RESULTS: Data from two workshops was used to draft a protocol for involvement that was reviewed and refined by members of the public. The protocol describes two levels of public involvement, HealthWise Wales Champion or Supporter. The Champion is a more formal role that requires promoting the project at public events, whereas Supporters pledge to promote the study to friends and family. Training was provided to 17 of the 26 members of the public who had expressed interest in becoming HWW Champions. Twelve trained Champions attended 41 events to promote the study and collect 'consent to contact' forms from members of the public. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to develop a model of community engagement with members of the public to promote and raise awareness of a national population study in Wales. It is essential that adequate resource is provided to support the concept.

Effects and costs of implementing predictive risk stratification in primary care: a randomised stepped wedge trial.

AIM: We evaluated the introduction of a predictive risk stratification model (PRISM) into primary care. Contemporaneously National Health Service (NHS) Wales introduced Quality and Outcomes Framework payments to general practices to focus care on those at highest risk of emergency admission to hospital. The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs and effects of introducing PRISM into primary care. METHODS: Randomised stepped wedge trial with 32 general practices in one Welsh health board. The intervention comprised: PRISM software; practice-based training; clinical support through two 'general practitioner (GP) champions' and technical support. The primary outcome was emergency hospital admissions. RESULTS: Across 230 099 participants, PRISM implementation increased use of health services: emergency hospital admission rates by 1 % when untransformed (while change in log-transformed rate ΔL=0.011, 95% CI 0.010 to 0.013); emergency department (ED) attendance rates by untransformed 3 % (while ΔL=0.030, 95% CI 0.028 to 0.032); outpatient visit rates by untransformed 5 % (while ΔL=0.055, 95% CI 0.051 to 0.058); the proportion of days with recorded GP activity by untransformed 1 % (while ΔL=0.011, 95% CI 0.007 to 0.014) and time in hospital by untransformed 3 % (while ΔL=0.029, 95% CI 0.026 to 0.031). Thus NHS costs per participant increased by £76 (95% CI £46 to £106). CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of PRISM resulted in a statistically significant increase in emergency hospital admissions and use of other NHS services without evidence of benefits to patients or the NHS.

Two Aviation Accident Investigation Questionnaires for Passenger and Crew Survival Factors and Injuries.

BACKGROUND: Review of injuries resulting from aircraft accidents and analysis of their mechanisms have proved helpful in generating and implementing survival-related improvements. Ideally, such information should be correlated with seat belt type and use, as well as any brace position adopted. This information should be recorded and made publicly available to future researchers. METHODS: Members of IBRACE have developed two questionnaires to assist accident / cabin-safety investigators to record this information in an integrated consistent manner. RESULTS: One questionnaire relates to the survivors and one to the deceased. DISCUSSION: IBRACE members hope that these questionnaires will assist the investigation of future aircraft accidents.Davies JM, Wallace WA, Colton CL, Yoo KI, Maurino M. Two aviation accident investigation questionnaires for passenger and crew survival factors and injuries. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(5):483-486.

Prehospital recognition and antibiotics for 999 patients with sepsis: protocol for a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a common condition which kills between 36,000 and 64,000 people every year in the UK. Early recognition and management of sepsis has been shown to reduce mortality and improve the health and well-being of people with sepsis. Paramedics frequently come into contact with patients with sepsis and are well placed to provide early diagnosis and treatment.We aim to determine the feasibility of undertaking a fully powered randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of paramedics obtaining blood cultures from and administering IV antibiotics to patients with sepsis, so we can make a decision about whether to proceed to a fully powered randomised controlled trial, which will answer questions regarding safety and effectiveness for patients and benefit to the National Health Service (NHS). METHODS/DESIGN: This is an individually randomised, two-arm feasibility study for a randomised controlled trial with a 1:1 ratio. Sixty paramedics will receive training to assist them to recognise sepsis using a screening tool, obtain blood cultures, and provide IV antibiotics. If sepsis is suspected, paramedics will randomly allocate patients to intervention or usual care using their next sequential individually issued scratch card. Patients will be followed up at 90 days using linked anonymised data to capture length of hospital admission and mortality. We will also collect self-reported health-related quality of life (using SF-12) at this time. We will interview ten patients by telephone and hold a focus group with paramedics, to find out what they think about the intervention. DISCUSSION: At the end of this study, we will make a recommendation about whether a full randomised controlled trial of paramedics obtaining blood cultures and administering IV antibiotics for sepsis is warranted, and if so, we will develop a proposal for research funding in order to take the work forward. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN36856873.