Q1
How can randomised trials become part of routine care and best utilise current clinical care pathways?
This question is about how might trials co-exist, routinely, alongside routine clinical care. Research is often viewed by clinicians as an extra burden or an added strain on already limited resources,...
“I often find the information given to simplistic. I appreciate that the information must be understandable to all, but I wonder if it is possible to have access to other more in depth information. I...
Q3
Does patient/public involvement in planning a randomised trial improve recruitment?
“Involve potential participants in planning and designing at every stage. The trial I’m in has several problems which probably wouldn’t have occurred if there had been PPI from the initial stages (the...
Best approaches”’ might include, for example; website, leaflets,“Use of a website: read a web summary and people could click on a link to read more information if they wish or alternatively continue w...
Q5
What are the barriers and enablers for clinicians/healthcare professionals in helping conduct randomised trials?
“Barriers and enablers” might include, for example; time, experience, workload and training.“What are the technological barriers (e.g. access to web) which can impact of trial recruitment?”“the logist...
Q6
What are the key motivators influencing members of the public’s decisions to take part in a randomised trial?
Key motivators might include, for example; altruism, aspects of care, benefit. Certain motivators for some people could be de-motivators for others; researchers might need to consider this if designin...
Q7
What are the best approaches to ensure inclusion and participation of under-represented or vulnerable groups in randomised trials?
Under-represented or vulnerable groups might include, for example, children or people with rare diseases. This uncertainty is not about doing trials in these populations, exclusively, but about includ...
Q8
What are the best ways to predict recruitment rates to a randomised trial and what impact do such predictions have on recruitment?
“Questionnaires to consultants about anticipated recruitment rates, prior to the trial commencing, are extremely unreliable and we need a better way of estimating the patient populations”“Gaining bett...
What level/ grade and what type of person (doctor, nurse, research assistant) is needed to gain informed consent?”“Consent forms, whilst required legally, can be off putting as there are so many boxes...
Q10
What are the advantages and disadvantages to using technology during the recruitment process?
Technology might include, for example, mobile applications, websites and e-health.“Don’t assume everyone can use technology. There is a move towards electronic questionnaires, text messaging reminders...
Q11
How best can clinicians and other health professionals be educated to optimise recruitment to randomised trials?
‘How best’ refers to where, when, what and by whom.“Training / information session prior to trial commencement are key for ensuring staff are adequately prepared for running the trial.”“All clinicians...
Q12
Does feasibility testing of recruitment procedures lead to improvements in recruitment?
Eldridge et al (2016), in developing a framework to define feasibility and pilot studies in preparation for RCTs, describe feasibility as an overarching concept that can include the following three st...
Q13
How can eligibility criteria for trial participants be optimised so that they aid recruitment to randomised trials?
Study eligibility plays an essential role in trial research as it defines the characteristics of the target populations, and is used for screening and recruitment to trials. Eligibility criteria also ...
Q14
What is the value of making trials participants feel appreciated in being recruited to a trial and how can this be best achieved?
“I think you can really made to feel like a pawn to the research when the researcher does not treat you like a valued client/human being!”“It is important that participant time is valued. It does not ...
Q15
What are the best approaches to ensuring manageable workloads for clinical and research staff responsible for recruiting members of the public to randomised trials?
“From my experience the biggest issue with recruiting to trials is having enough local support to manage all the detailed administrative requirements. Research Nurses generally have too many studies t...
“Usually very standard format and they tend to be designed with getting through ethics rather than being most helpful to the potential participants even when PPI groups are involved in their developme...
Q17
What are the incentives that motivate members of the public to agree to participate in randomised trials?
Incentives, in the context of this uncertainty, go beyond cash reimbursements for time lost or costs incurred by participating in a trial. Incentives might be wide and varied, including, for example, ...
Q18
Do trial recruiters who have received focused, specialised recruitment training achieve better levels of recruitment than non-trained recruiters?
“How to train trial recruiters- essential components/advice to provide in that training- do and do nots of approaching participants to trials.”“Training in trial recruitment (explaining the trial, bal...
Q19
Do randomised trials which have a low participant burden/requirements achieve better recruitment than those that have a greater patient burden?
“Patient burden should be a big consideration in trials with multiple visits and samples. Costs and ease of parking should also be considered if the participant is expected to attend a hospital for mo...
Q20
Does a central registry for members of the public (i.e. a list of people with contact details) who are interested in taking part in a randomised trial improve recruitment?
A central registry is a list of people, with their contact details, who have expressed an interest in taking part in a randomised trial“Would it be better to have a more general conversation with pati...
