Rehabilitation Research
We aim to improve outcomes and quality of life for people with disabling conditions by working across the research spectrum by developing measurement tools and elucidating the mechanisms underlying impairments, translating these into evidence-based interventions and evaluating their effectiveness and impact on patients and clinical services.
This programme has produced a highly effective research group with breadth and depth of expertise and activity that demonstrates national and international standing, impact on clinical and professional stakeholders and developing critical mass. Since 2005, the group has been awarded £5 million of research grant funding from leading medical charities, the National Institute of Health Research, research councils, the NHS, European and commercial companies, we have 70 publications including the highest impact journals in the relevant fields and supervise 14 post-graduate research students.
A feature of their research is the impact it has on clinical services, patients’ lives and policy nationally and regionally through our close links and involvement with
- National policy makers - Hammond; NICE Guidelines development group, National Audit office representative; Tyson; RCP National Guidelines for Stroke
- Patient groups and charities - Hammond - ARC, EULAR, NRAS; Tyson - Stroke Association, GMan Neuro Alliance
- Clinical services - Tyson - Greater Manchester Stroke Network
- Professional bodies’ research groups to build capacity and capability - Hammond - College of OT; Tyson – Physiotherapy Research Society, NW Research Design Service, Society for Research in Rehabilitation.
In recognition of this both Professor Hammond and Professor Tyson have been awarded fellowships of their professional bodies (College of Occupational Therapy and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy respectively)
Five lines of enquiry
Clinical measurement tools
- Develop measurement tools that address patient-focussed problems and are ‘fit for purpose’ for use in clinical practice.
- Explore how measurement tools are used in clinical practice and evaluate their impact
- Work with clinical partners to implement measurement tools into clinical practice
Understanding patients’ problems
The work seeks to gain a greater understanding of the nature, cause and severity of patients’ problems and difficulties, so that evidence based interventions and measurement tools can be developed and appropriate patient-focussed outcomes assessed in clinical trials.
Understanding and evaluating current therapy
In order to develop more effective rehabilitation interventions and ways of delivering services we need to have a clear understanding of the nature of current services / practice, whether they are effective, insight into staff and service users’ experiences, perceptions and priorities.
Design and evaluating novel interventions
To significantly improve patient outcomes it is probable that new, more effective, interventions will be needed. Their work is to develop interventions and conduct clinical trials to evaluate, for example:
- Work Rehabilitation in Inflammatory Arthritis
- The Lifestyle Management Programme for Arthritis (LMAP) for people with Inflammatory Arthritis
- SMOOTH Trial (hand exercise and joint protection in hand OA)
- CBT and Fatigue Management in RA
- Develop a motorised walk training device for people with stroke
- Patient-led mirror therapy for people with stroke
- Work rehabilitation services in general practice
- Sensory stimulation for people with stroke.
Future work will look at such things as:
- Foot health education interventions for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- CBT approach Fatigue Management for RA delivered by nurses and OTs
- Use of computer generated designed footwear for people with RA
- Fatigue Management for RA
- Hand splints for people with OA
- Physiotherapy for people with ataxia
- Physiotherapy for people with polyneuropathies
- Therapeutic footwear design for arthritis
Implementing research into clinical practice
To achieve their ultimate aim to improve patient outcomes, research findings need to be implemented in to clinical practice. Members of the rehabilitation research programme have a strong record of this; their research has been included in national clinical guidelines and we have been instrumental in developing such guidelines through our work with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and the RCP National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke. They also work with clinical service providers, service user groups and 3rd sector organisations to develop clinical services and self-management materials.
