National Parkinson's disease trial launched at University Hospitals Dorset
A UK-wide clinical trial funded by the National Institute for Health Research and sponsored by the University of Bristol which aims to prevent falls in people with Parkinson's has recently opened its doors at the University Hospitals Dorset.
The CHIEF-PD trial will investigate whether the repurposing of a drug called rivastigmine, currently used to treat dementia, can reduce the number of falls. Participants will get the opportunity to attend two study assessments twelve months apart at the hospital clinic, or they can choose to attend from home using video calls. The CHIEF-PD trial is among the first in the UK to deliver the medication directly to the participant's home.
Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease causes damage to parts of the brain, which gets worse over time. The illness is often recognised as shaking, slowness of movement, freezing of movement and muscle stiffness. Falls are a very frequent complication of the disease affecting 60% of people with Parkinson's every year. These falls can be devastating, sometimes resulting in broken bones and hospital admissions. Falls can also lead people to lose confidence in their ability to get around, meaning they can become more isolated and anxious.
Dr Emily Henderson, is a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol and Honorary Consultant Geriatrician at the University of Bristol is leading the research study. Dr Henderson says: "This is a new time for clinical trials, and we are excited to be able to offer appointments in a more patient-centred way".
This research will provide definitive evidence as to the role of these drugs for falls. We are working hard to tackle one of the most disabling complications of Parkinson's and, if successful, this treatment will improve the lives of people living with Parkinson's now and has the potential to be tested in other groups of patients who are at high risk of falling."
Commenting on the news, Rochelle Hernandez, senior research nurse at University Hospitals Dorset, said she is "delighted" the trust is part of the CHIEF-PD trial. "It is relevant to our patient population here in Dorset, and gives them the opportunity to be part of research. The trial has been carefully adapted during the pandemic which means we can conduct it remotely if needed and in this way enable us to continue to support it while making sure priority is given to keep our patients safe."
Trial participants are given patches to place on the skin which contain either an active drug or a placebo (dummy) treatment. Neither the researchers nor the participants know who has been given the active drug or placebo until the end of the trial. Participants are asked to record any falls that they experience in diaries that they post back to the trial team, each month for a year. The study aims to recruit 600 participants.
If you have Parkinson's disease and are interested in being involved in the study for further information, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telephone: 0117 428 3133 or visit the website.
Or get in touch with the UHD team directly by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone: 0300 019 5136.
UHD to host Health Foundation innovation hub
Dorset Integrated Care System (ICS), the partnership of health and social care organisations in the region, has been selected by the Health Foundation - an independent charity - to be part of its new programme supporting health care providers to enable faster and more effective uptake of innovations and improvements, which will create long lasting impact for patients and patients care.
The Adopting Innovation programme is supporting four innovation hubs with funding of up to £475,000 each for two and a half years.
Dorset ICS (Our Dorset) and its partners successfully secured the top award, with the hub being hosted by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD).
Innovations which can help meet Dorset's priority health and wellbeing challenges, improve patient care, and save the NHS time and money, will be adopted, and used throughout the system. The innovations will help health, social care, and other services in the county - such as housing - meet the complex health needs of Dorset's older population, health inequalities, and variation in life and healthy life expectancy. Other important areas will be help for the workforce, COVID response, winter planning and exploring digital innovations.
The hub will also help address inequalities, which have been exacerbated during the pandemic; and will support recovery, while ensuring new innovative models of care, including digital technologies, do not exclude members of the population.
Dr Karen Kirkham, integrated care system clinical lead in Dorset, said: "The Innovation Hub will give us the opportunity to adapt innovations best suited to meeting Dorset's clinical priorities, and to spread these across Dorset, to provide equity of service, reduce health inequalities and improve care for patients."
Phil Richardson, chief system integration officer at Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: "Dorset ICS is delighted that we will have an Innovation Hub to harness our system's skills and expertise in health and care innovation. The Innovation Hub firmly sets the cornerstone of our ambition to create an organic Living laboratory as a place where ICS partners, industry and business imagine and deliver innovative solutions that improve people's lives."
Richard Renaut, chief transformation and strategy officer at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are thrilled by this boost to our ambitions. This will help us adopt and spread proven innovations across all sectors in Dorset, both faster and further. Together with our partners, this will mean we can provide better care for our population."
Bill Gillespie, chief executive at Wessex Academic Health Science Network, said: "The Innovation Hub will be an excellent conduit for helping spot and spread the best innovations to improve patient care in Dorset. The AHSN looks forward to working with partners in Dorset to establish the Hub over the next few months."
Will Warburton, Director of Improvement at the Health Foundation, said: "This is a unique opportunity for the four innovation hubs to create change to improve patient care. It comes at a time where the NHS needs to accelerate effective uptake of new ideas to meet the challenges of delivering care to all who need it during the pandemic."
More information on the Health Foundation's innovation hubs here.
Volunteering at Outpatient Assessment Clinic
Volunteers are a vital part of the Outpatient Assessment Clinic – from greeting our patients at the door with a friendly face, to guiding them around our clinic and finding out how their visit went, they really complement our staff in delivering a great patient experience.
Find out more...
If you are interested in joining our fantastic team of volunteers here at the Outpatient Assessment Clinic, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.
All volunteers will join as a volunteer of the Trust, and therefore a full Enhanced DBS will be required, along with a short interview, two references, and will need appropriate health clearance.
This is a great opportunity for you to make a huge difference to the treatment of our patients and we appreciate what benefits this can bring to them and to our region.
Resuscitation study aided by hospital critical care team
The critical care team at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) has contributed to a landmark study focusing on patient care after resuscitation. The TTM2 trial studies the effect of temperature management on patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest, a poignant topic given the recent collapse of footballer Christian Eriksen in this year’s Euro 2020 tournament.
The TTM2 study observed how controlling body temperature is a potential method to prevent brain damage in patients who survive a cardiac arrest and aims to study how to best apply this intervention.
Nigel Chee, consultant in anaesthesia and critical care, was the local primary investigator for the trial alongside Sally Pitts, of the RBH research team, as lead local research nurse.
Nigel explains: "Cardiac arrest and resuscitation has always been a core element of critical care, and it comes at a poignant time when we recognise how it can affect anyone, even elite athletes. Our critical care unit was a part of the TTM2 trial, a landmark international trial, looking at the critical care management after cardiac arrest. It gives us confidence that we are treating people with the best evidence base available." To read more about the TTM2 trial click here.
University Hospitals Dorset contribute to international Covid-19 therapy evaluation trials
Research teams at University Hospitals Dorset recruited 75 participants for the REGEN-COV arm of the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial, which is the first large enough to determine definitively whether treatment developed by Regeneron reduces mortality in patients hospitalised with severe Covid-19.
The trial has demonstrated that the investigational antibody combination reduces the risk of death when given to patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19 who have not mounted a natural antibody response of their own.
Dr Martin Schuster Bruce, UHD consultant in critical care and anaesthesia explains:‘We are really excited to hear about the release of the RECOVERY trial data for REGEN-COV, which is an antibody cocktail against COVID -19. The trial showed that in hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 , who have not mounted a natural antibody response, this cocktail of antibodies saves lives. I am immensely proud of the RECOVERY trial and UHD’s involvement in this world class medical research that has resulted in millions of lives saved’.
