Continuation of recruitment during the pandemic via on-site visits

Safe participation of patients and healthcare staff

Developing a hybrid approach, with a combination of on-site visits and remote appointments to allow continuation of enrolled patients

Setting up a virtual site with pre-screening questionnaire to continue the safe recruitment of patients throughout lockdown

Combination of on-site screening and subsequent remote visits enabled the majority of the 28 sites to continue recruitment and retention of patients during lockdown.

Successful recruitment, pre-screening, and enrolment of patients into the virtual site from across the whole of the UK in comparison to the original 28 sites based in England.

Close collaboration with the virtual site at the Patient Recruitment Centre Newcastle meant that from initial concept to approval and implementation only took 4 months.

Feedback from patients that they found the virtual trial easier to engage with and manage to fit in with their daily life. Other patients were able to participate even though they live too far from any site and would not consider travel due to their health.

Delivering study treatment directly to patients home enabled an easy switch to remote appointments

Support for sites on coordination of remote visits, supply and collecting of patient questionnaires empowered sites to continue recruitment

E-diaries gave the investigator real-time insight into patients and the ability to identify immediately missing data and improved patient compliance

By implementing these strategies, recruitment rate was 67% faster