Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
577/1962
Study information
Scientific title
Acronym
PPOPS
Study hypothesis
Aims:
1. Comparing differences in patient experience and satisfaction of community paramedic practitioners with the existing standard service.
2. Comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of community paramedic practitioners with the existing standard service.
3. Assessing the effects of community paramedic practitioners on ambulance service and Emergency Department (ED) performance.
Ethics approval
The study was approved by North Sheffield LREC on the 31st March 2003, (ref: NS2002 9 1452).
Study design
Cluster randomised controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Other
Patient information sheet
Condition
Minor injuries such as falls, lacerations, epistaxis, minor burns, foreign body - ENT (Ears, Nose and Throat) only
Intervention
Intervention:
A community based paramedic scheme intended to deliver patient centred care to older people calling the emergency services with conditions triaged as not immediately life threatening.
Control group:
Care as usual. In practice, this was an ambulance, followed by conveyance to an ED (unless the patient refused to travel to hospital).
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Specified
Drug names
Primary outcome measures
1. Emergency Department attendance or hospital admission between zero and 28 days
2. Interval from time of call to time of discharge
3. Patient satisfaction with the service received
Secondary outcome measures
1. Investigations and treatments prescribed
2. Subsequent use of health services within 28 days
3. Health status and mortality at 28 days
4. Costs
Overall trial start date
01/09/2003
Overall trial end date
26/09/2004
Reason abandoned
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
Patients aged 60 years and above were eligible for study inclusion following a call to the ambulance service if the call:
1. Originated from a Sheffield postcode
2. Was received between 08:00 am and 20:00 pm
3. Presenting with a complaint that fell within the scope of practice of the paramedic practitioners
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Senior
Gender
Not Specified
Target number of participants
2200
Participant exclusion criteria
No exclusion criteria
Recruitment start date
01/09/2003
Recruitment end date
26/09/2004
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
Health Services Research
Sheffield
S1 4DA
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Organisation
The Health Foundation (UK)
Sponsor details
90 Long Acre
London
WC2E 9RA
United Kingdom
Sponsor type
Charity
Website
Funders
Funder type
Charity
Funder name
The Health Foundation (UK) (ref: 577/1962)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Results - basic reporting
Publication summary
Results in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=17916813
Publication citations
-
Results
Mason S, Knowles E, Colwell B, Dixon S, Wardrope J, Gorringe R, Snooks H, Perrin J, Nicholl J, Effectiveness of paramedic practitioners in attending 999 calls from elderly people in the community: cluster randomised controlled trial., BMJ, 2007, 335, 7626, 919, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39343.649097.55.