The Buddy Study: Local reach, adoption and implementation following a randomised controlled trial of conservative management of fifth metacarpal neck fractures.

Objective: To understand the reach, adoption and implementation of the evidence that buddy strapping for uncomplicated fifth metacarpal neck fractures is non-inferior to plaster casting.

Methods: Mixed-method study using clinical audit of the years before and after the original randomised controlled study was published (2019) and staff questionnaires/semi-structured interviews.

Results: Sixty-nine percent of questionnaire respondents were aware of the original study findings (i.