RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

The Clear Conversations Project

The 'Clear Conversations' project aims to make healthcare communication clearer for everyone. We know that understanding health information can be tricky, which sometimes makes it hard for people to manage their own health or know which services to use. This project will train healthcare staff to improve their communication skills, helping them have better, clearer conversations with patients. This training, along with support from a Health Literacy Officer, hopes to help people better understand their health, make more informed decisions, and ultimately improve their well-being. We’ll be looking at how this training affects both staff and patients in programs for weight management and lung conditions like COPD.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University of Sheffield

Enrolment target

400

Start

01 Jul 2024

Estimated completion

30 Jun 2025

COPD Weight Loss

What is this study about?

Imagine you have a health question, and you're talking to a healthcare professional. Do you always leave feeling like you fully understood everything they said? This project, called 'Clear Conversations', is all about making sure those conversations are as clear and helpful as possible. Sometimes, health information can be complicated, and if it's not explained well, it can be hard to know what steps to take for your health or even which services are right for you. This can sometimes lead to people not getting the best health outcomes.

This is why we're looking at how we can help healthcare workers communicate better. This project will give special training to healthcare staff, teaching them new ways to talk about health in an easier-to-understand way. They will also get ongoing support from an expert in 'Health Literacy' – that's just a fancy term for understanding health information. The main goal is to see if these clearer conversations can help patients feel more confident and informed about their health, which could lead to better health for everyone.

Researchers will be working with staff and patients in programs covering weight management and lung conditions like COPD in the Derbyshire area. They will check how staff use their new skills and ask patients about their experience. By doing this, we hope to learn how to make health conversations better across the board, reducing health inequalities and helping more people take charge of their health.

Key takeaways

Aims to make health conversations clearer between staff and patients.
Focuses on improving how healthcare staff share information.
Could help patients better understand and manage their health.
Involves patients in weight management and lung conditions (COPD) programmes.
No changes to patient's usual healthcare, just how information is shared.
Looks at if clearer communication can lead to better health outcomes.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for a few different groups of people to take part. For staff, if you are a Public Health Intervention Advisor involved in tier 2 weight management programmes in Derbyshire, or a Physiotherapist or specialist nurse involved in assessing patients and delivering the six-week DCHS NHS lung rehabilitation programme, you might be able to join. Also, other healthcare staff who attend the Verbal Health Literacy training in 2024 could be included.

For patients, if you are 18 years old or older and are starting the 12-week tier 2 weight management programme, you could be eligible. Also, if you are 18 or older, have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and are going through the six-week lung 'pulmonary' rehabilitation programme during the study time, you might be able to take part.

Some people won't be able to join. If you are a patient attending one of these programmes outside of the specific time we are collecting information, unfortunately, you won't be included. Also, other lung rehabilitation staff who are not physiotherapists or specialist nurses will not be able to join the staff part of the study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 or older?
Are you currently in a weight management program (tier 2, 12 weeks) in Derbyshire?
Do you have COPD and are starting a 6-week lung rehabilitation program?
Are you a Public Health Intervention Advisor?
Are you a Physiotherapist or specialist nurse in the DCHS NHS lung rehabilitation program?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you take part in this project, here's what it would involve:

If you're a healthcare staff member, you would attend a special training session designed to improve your communication skills. You would also receive support from a Health Literacy Officer to help you use these new skills in your everyday work. Before and after the training, you'll be asked to fill in a questionnaire. Six months later, you might be invited to a group discussion (called a focus group) to talk about how useful the training was and if you're still using what you learned. We might also observe you delivering programmes to see how you're using your new skills.

If you're a patient, your involvement would be very natural. You would attend your regular weight management or lung rehabilitation programme as planned. You won't have any extra visits just for the study. We would ask you to fill out some questionnaires, which will help us understand your experience. We would also look at some information about your progress in the programme, both from before and after you started, and compare it to previous years. The goal is to see if staff receiving this training makes a difference to your outcomes.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this project aims to help healthcare staff communicate more clearly, which could mean you feel better informed and more confident about managing your health. While there are no direct health risks involved for patients, sharing your experiences and filling out questionnaires might take a small amount of your time. For staff, the training will involve learning new skills and reflecting on your communication, which is a positive personal and professional development opportunity. Everyone involved has the right to decide not to take part or to withdraw from the project at any time, without it affecting your care or your job.

Locations (2)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Derbyshire County Council
Verified postcode
Matlock, United Kingdom· Recruiting
Derbyshire Community Health Services NHSFT
Verified postcode
Chesterfield, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'Health Literacy'?

It's about how well people can find, understand, and use health information to make good decisions about their health.

Why is this project important for me?

If you're a patient, it could mean clearer conversations with your healthcare team, helping you feel more in control of your health. If you're staff, it could improve your communication skills.

Will my regular healthcare change if I'm a patient?

No, you will continue with your usual health programmes. This project studies how the programmes are delivered, not changes to your treatment.

What will healthcare staff learn?

They will learn techniques to explain health information more simply and have more effective, clear conversations with patients.

How long will this project last?

The project will be looking at changes over time, including collecting data and following up with staff after the training.

How to find out more

Cheryl Grindell, PhD

c.a.grindell@sheffield.ac.uk 44 7934178779 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.