A systematic review of barriers and enablers associated with uptake of influenza vaccine among care home staff.

Unlabelled: Barriers and enablers to vaccination of care home (CH) staff should be identified in order to develop interventions to address them that increase uptake and protect residents. We aimed to synthesis the evidence describing the barriers and enablers that affect the influenza vaccination uptake of care home (CH) staff.

Method: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, AMED, IBSS, SCOPUS to identify quantitative, qualitative or mixed-method studies.

Why the trial researcher matters: Day-to-day work viewed through the lens of normalization process theory.

Researchers working in the field, the places where research-relevant activity happens, are essential to recruitment and data collection in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). This study aimed to understand the nature of this often invisible work. Data were generated through an RCT of a pharmacist-led medication management service for older people in care homes.

Evaluation of effectiveness and safety of pharmacist independent prescribers in care homes: cluster randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness, cost effectiveness (to be reported elsewhere), and safety of pharmacy independent prescribers in care homes.

Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial, with clusters based on triads of a pharmacist independent prescriber, a general practice, and one to three associated care homes.

Setting: Care homes across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, their associated general practices, and pharmacy independent prescribers, formed into triads.

Development and feasibility testing of an evidence-based training programme for pharmacist independent prescribers responsible for the medicines-related activities within care homes.

Introduction: The UK pharmacists with independent prescribing rights (pharmacist independent prescribers [PIPs]) are authorised to prescribe within their areas of competence. To enable PIPs to provide pharmaceutical care to residents in care homes and assume responsibility for medicines management, a process for development and assessment of competence is required. The aim of this research was to develop a training and accreditation process (training programme) to enable PIPs to operate safely and effectively within care homes.

Administration of aspirin tablets using a novel gel-based swallowing aid: an open-label randomised controlled cross-over trial.

Introduction: To ease administration of medicines to people with dysphagia we developed and patented a gel formulation within which whole tablets could be inserted. The aim was to determine whether the gel would affect bioequivalence of uncoated aspirin tablet.

Method: A gel containing gelatin, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, citric acid, potassium sorbate and water was developed to maintain structure on tablet insertion and increase saliva production to lubricate the swallow.

Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of independent pharmacist prescribing in care homes: the CHIPPS study.

Background: Prescribing, monitoring and administration of medicines in care homes could be improved. Research has identified the need for one person to assume overall responsibility for the management of medicines within each care home. and shown that a pharmacist independent prescriber service is feasible in this context.

Systematic review and narrative synthesis of pharmacist provided medicines optimisation services in care homes for older people to inform the development of a generic training or accreditation process.

Objectives: To develop a training programme to enable pharmacists with prescribing rights to assume responsibility for the provision of pharmaceutical care within care homes, a systematic review and narrative synthesis was undertaken to identify reported approaches to training pharmacists and use this literature to identify potential knowledge requirements.

Methods: A PROSPERO-registered systematic review was performed using key search terms for care homes, pharmacist, education, training and pharmaceutical care. Papers reporting primary research focussed on care of the older person within the care home setting were included.

The Care Home Independent Prescribing Pharmacist Study (CHIPPS)-a non-randomised feasibility study of independent pharmacist prescribing in care homes.

Background: Residents in care homes are often very frail, have complex medicine regimens and are at high risk of adverse drug events. It has been recommended that one healthcare professional should assume responsibility for their medicines management. We propose that this could be a pharmacist independent prescriber (PIP).

Relapse to smoking and health-related quality of life: Secondary analysis of data from a study of smoking relapse prevention.

Background: Previous studies have shown that smoking and smoking cessation may be associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this study, we compared changes in HRQoL in people who maintained abstinence with people who had relapsed to smoking.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from a trial of a relapse prevention intervention in 1,407 short-term quitters.

Self-help materials for smoking relapse prevention: a process evaluation of the SHARPISH randomized controlled trial.

Background: UK Stop Smoking Services are effective at assisting smokers to quit. However, smoking relapse rates are high, representing a significant public health problem. No effective interventions are currently available.

It's not what you do it's the way that it's measured: quality assessment of minor ailment management in community pharmacies.

Background: Effective management of minor ailments in community pharmacies could reduce the burden on alternative high-cost services (general practices, Emergency Departments). Evidence is needed regarding the appropriateness of management of these conditions in community pharmacies.

Objective: To explore the appropriateness of minor ailment management in community pharmacies.

Identifying and recruiting smokers for preoperative smoking cessation--a systematic review of methods reported in published studies.

Background: Smoking cessation before surgery reduces postoperative complications, and the benefit is positively associated with the duration of being abstinent before a surgical procedure. A key issue in providing preoperative smoking cessation support is to identify people who smoke as early as possible before elective surgery. This review aims to summarise methods used to identify and recruit smokers awaiting elective surgery.

Postpartum smoking relapse--a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

Background And Aims: Many women quit smoking during pregnancy, but relapse after the baby is born. To understand why and identify ways of preventing this, this study reviewed the qualitative literature on women's experience of postpartum smoking relapse.

Methods: A systematic review of qualitative studies and process evaluations of trials.

Patients' perceptions of physical activity before and after joint replacement: a systematic review with meta-ethnographic analysis.

Background: It has been perceived that people following total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have the capability, with reduced pain, to increase their levels of physical activity.

Objectives: To determine the attitudes and perceptions of people awaiting or having undergone THA or TKA to physical activity post-arthroplasty and to identify potential facilitators or barriers to engage in active living and physical activity pursuits.

Methods: Systematic review of published and unpublished databases was undertaken from their inception to November 2014.

Self-help educational booklets for the prevention of smoking relapse following smoking cessation treatment: a randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Most people who quit smoking for a short term will return to smoking again in 12 months. We tested whether self-help booklets can reduce relapse in short-term quitters after receiving behavioural and pharmacological cessation treatment.

Design: A parallel-arm, pragmatic individually randomized controlled trial.

Effectiveness and economic evaluation of self-help educational materials for the prevention of smoking relapse: randomised controlled trial.

Background: Most people who quit smoking successfully for a short period will return to smoking again in 12 months. A previous exploratory meta-analysis indicated that self-help booklets may be effective for smoking relapse prevention in unaided quitters.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a set of self-help educational booklets to prevent smoking relapse in people who had stopped smoking with the aid of behavioural support.

Differences in Longer-Term Smoking Abstinence After Treatment by Specialist or Nonspecialist Advisors: Secondary Analysis of Data From a Relapse Prevention Trial.

Introduction: Smokers receiving support in specialist centers tend to have a higher short-term quit rate, compared with those receiving support in other settings from professionals for whom smoking cessation is only a part of their work. We investigated the difference in longer-term abstinence after short-term smoking cessation treatment from specialist and nonspecialist smoking cessation services.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of self-help booklets for the prevention of smoking relapse.

Estimating the burden of minor ailment consultations in general practices and emergency departments through retrospective review of routine data in North East Scotland.

Background: Minor ailment attendances in general practices and emergency departments (EDs) place significant burden on health care resources.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and type of minor ailment consultations for adults in general practice and ED that could be managed in a community pharmacy.

Methods: Retrospective review of routine data from general practices (n = 2) and one ED in North East Scotland.

Exploring the Concepts of Abstinence and Recovery Through the Experiences of Long-Term Opiate Substitution Clients.

Background: This study aimed to explore the client experience of long-term opiate substitution treatment (OST).

Methods: A qualitative grounded theory study set in a U.K.

The experience of long-term opiate maintenance treatment and reported barriers to recovery: a qualitative systematic review.

Background/aim: To inform understanding of the experience of long-term opiate maintenance and identify barriers to recovery.

Methods: A qualitative systematic review.

Results: 14 studies in 17 papers, mainly from the USA (65%), met inclusion criteria, involving 1,088 participants.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of manual chest physiotherapy techniques on quality of life at six months post exacerbation of COPD (MATREX): a randomised controlled equivalence trial.

Background: Manual chest physiotherapy (MCP) techniques involving chest percussion, vibration, and shaking have long been used in the treatment of respiratory conditions. However, methodological limitations in existing research have led to a state of clinical equipoise with respect to this treatment. Thus, for patients hospitalised with an exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), clinical preference tends to dictate whether MCP is given to assist with sputum clearance.

Self-help materials for the prevention of smoking relapse: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Most people who stop smoking successfully for a few weeks will return to smoking again in the medium term. There are few effective interventions to prevent this relapse and none used routinely in clinical practice. A previous exploratory meta-analysis suggested that self-help booklets may be effective but requires confirmation.

Leukotriene antagonists as first-line or add-on asthma-controller therapy.

Background: Most randomized trials of treatment for asthma study highly selected patients under idealized conditions.

Methods: We conducted two parallel, multicenter, pragmatic trials to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of a leukotriene-receptor antagonist (LTRA) as compared with either an inhaled glucocorticoid for first-line asthma-controller therapy or a long-acting beta(2)-agonist (LABA) as add-on therapy in patients already receiving inhaled glucocorticoid therapy. Eligible primary care patients 12 to 80 years of age had impaired asthma-related quality of life (Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire [MiniAQLQ] score ≤6) or inadequate asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ] score ≥1).