Are We Providing Timely Access to Musculoskeletal Outpatient Therapy Services? an Exploratory Study

NCT06829875 | Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: 8851
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 135
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Waiting times for NHS services are of growing public interest. This is because accessing some services is getting more difficult, and we know that longer waits can result in negative impacts for those waiting. People in Wales waiting for care for their musculoskeletal problems are deemed to be cared for in good time if they get an appointment in less than 14 weeks. This target has been set by Welsh Government, for everyone who waits, no matter what condition they are waiting with and how that condition is affecting them. We know that impact of wait for people with MSK problems can vary, from complete recovery, to worsening of their pain and function. The impact experienced seems to be influenced by factors such as their age and their mental health statusz\\. This suggests that setting one target for all may not be the right thing to do. However, we don't yet know whether waiting over 14 weeks has a big effect on impact. We also don't know about the lived experience of those waiting, while they wait, despite knowing that learning this is vital to informing change. We plan to study the impact of waiting for these services by asking those waiting to complete a survey that measures the impact of their msk problem, at the start and end of their wait, and then understanding how the scores correlate with length of time waited. We will also ask some of these people to document their experience as they wait. We hope that this will provide an understanding of how effective the current target is at measuring access to these services, and whether we need to think differently. People will be able to complete this work in their own home.

Conditions

Musculoskeletal

Keywords

access; waiting times; impact of wait; musculoskeletal pain; msk pain; musculoskeletal conditions; physiotherapy outpatients; podiatry outpatients; occupational therapy outpatients; musculoskeletal therapy services

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire

  from enrolment until the end of wait - currently up to 14 weeks

Study Arms (1)

service users entering waiting lists for outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy, podiatry and OY

Procedure: wait for outpatient appointment

Interventions

wait for outpatient appointment PROCEDURE

this is an observational study measuring impact of pain and function at start and end of wait for those waiting for care from outpatient physiotherapy occupations therapy and podiatry

service users entering waiting lists for outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy, podiatry and OY

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

people residing in the remit of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, entering the waiting list of Outpatient Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy or Podiatry

You may qualify if:

• aged 18 years or over
• have entered a waiting list for outpatient podiatry, occupational therapy or physiotherapy with a musculoskeletal complaint
• able to provide informed consent
• be able to read and write english

You may not qualify if:

• are considered a vulnerable adult
• exhibit additional communication needs, to include but not limited to, language barrier

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cardiff and Vale University Health Board: lead
• Cardiff University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Cardiff and Vale University Healthboard

Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Sara P James, MSc

  Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Sara P James, MSc

CONTACT

07494885624; sara.james6@wales.nhs.uk

Rachel Norman

CONTACT

rachel.norman2@wales.nhs.uk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 11, 2025
• First Posted: February 17, 2025
• Study Start: February 4, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2025
• Study Completion: September 1, 2025
• Last Updated: February 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)