Talking in Primary Care (TIP) Study

A cluster-randomised controlled trial in primary care to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of communication skills e-learning for practitioners on patients’ musculoskeletal pain and enablement

Aim

We want to assess a communication e-learning training package called EMPathicO, which was developed with patients and clinicians to train primary care practitioners in empathy and optimism. The main aim of this study is to determine the clinical and cost effectiveness of EMPathicO, focusing on the impact when used with patients presenting with musculoskeletal pain.

The trial will run from July 2022 to February 2023.

Background

Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is a common problem for patients and it is often related to conditions such as osteoarthritis. MSK pain can be difficult to treat and can affect people's social life, wellbeing and employment. It can be tricky for primary care practitioners (GPs, nurses, and primary care physiotherapists) to know how best to help.

Research shows that changing practitioner communication may help reduce pain and improve patients’ quality of life and satisfaction with their care, and increase patients’ confidence to self-manage their health conditions. This could reduce the need for further treatments and appointments.

Colleagues at the University of Southampton recently developed EMPathicO, a very brief, evidence-based and engaging e-learning training package to help primary care practitioners enhance their communication skills.

The research

In this randomised trial, primary care practitioners in half the GP practices taking part will complete our e-learning training and half will provide treatment as usual. The 'treatment as usual' practices will get access to our training at the end of the trial.

We will compare patient and practitioner outcomes in GP practices that have been trained in the enhanced communication with practices that have not. We will use online questionnaires and interviews to assess the effects on practitioners’ attitudes, and patients’ pain, confidence in managing their symptoms, other symptoms, and quality of life.

We will also measure the economic costs of the training compared to any patient benefits. This enhanced communication might benefit all patients (not just those with MSK pain), so our project also includes patients who present with other symptoms.

We are planning to include 1,680 patients in the study and to recruit from 42 UK general practices.

Study team, funder and contact details

Local Principal Investigator: Professor Matthew Ridd
Chief Investigators: Dr Felicity L Bishop and Professor Hazel A Everitt (University of Southampton)

The study is being run by the Universities of Southampton, Bristol, Warwick, Oxford, and Keele University. It is funded by the National School for Primary Care Research (SPCR).

For further information, contact Amy Herbert (TIP Clinical Study Officer) at tip-study@bristol.ac.uk