25SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT IN A LARGE REHABILITATION TRIAL THROUGH A RESEARCH ASSISTANT NETWORK
Katie Robinson, Jane C. Horne, Erika J Sims, Pip Logan, FinCH trial management group · Age and Ageing · 2018
Introduction: Falls in Care Home (FinCH) is a large rehabilitation trial evaluating a falls management approach for care home residents with 10 sites across the UK participating. Recruitment is vital to the success of FinCH to ensure an appropriate and sufficient sample of care home staff and residents are included. The challenges of recruitment in the acute setting are widely acknowledged, however recruitment of care homes and residents in care homes is relatively new. Methods: The FinCH study developed a research assistant (RA) network to support researchers working on the recruitment and data collection components of the study. The network was led by a research assistant (KR) based in the same site as the Chief Investigator. Monthly teleconferences were held to discuss challenges and to share good practice with any on-going issues raised at the monthly trial management meetings. The format, content and evolution of the network was directed by the RA’s. Results: The RA support network provided a formal mechanism to support researchers from 10 sites who were geographically dispersed. The peer support of the group allowed open discussion of challenges in a supportive environment. The primary focus of discussions were clarification of recruitment and data collection processes, identification of common barriers to recruitment through personal consultee’s and sharing of methods to engage and sustain relationships with care homes. One face-face meeting (16 RA’s attended) was held which included training in the recruitment of older adults lacking capacity, open discussions on good practice and the opportunity to feedback challenges and solutions to the senior research team. Conclusions: The formal RA network was successful in supporting researchers to undertake the challenges of recruitment in a complex setting. Research teams involved in large complex rehabilitation trials should consider how to support on the ground researchers to maximise successful recruitment and data collection.