Introduction

We are inviting you to take part in a research study. Before you decide, you need to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve for you. Please take time to read the following information carefully. Talk to others about the study if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear to you or if you would like more information. We can be contacted on the telephone numbers at the end of this sheet.  Take time to decide whether you wish to take part.

 

What is the purpose of this study?

Working people with inflammatory arthritis (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and other inflammatory forms of arthritis) may experience difficulties in working because of their arthritis. This study tested whether practical advice provided by a Workwell-trained occupational therapist can help people reduce any problems that they have when working.

 

One of your employees took part in this study and received advice to help them with staying at work with arthritis. We would like to interview you to find out about your views on the work advice and support that your employee received. Your contributions will form an important part of this trial, which could have the potential to impact and improve Rheumatology services to help people with arthritis stay in work.

 

Why have I been invited?

We are asking you to take part because you are the employer or line manager of one of the participants in this study. We are asking up to 10 employers to help us with this study.

 

Do I have to take part?

It is up to you to decide. Please read this information sheet and contact us if you have any queries.  If you decide to take part, you will be free to withdraw at any time, without giving a reason.

 

What will happen to me if I take part?

We will phone/text or email shortly after you receive this to ask if you would like to take part. If yes, we can briefly explain the study, answer any questions and arrange a mutually convenient date and time for a telephone interview. In this interview call, we will ask consent and then interview you for up to 10 minutes.  

Alternatively, if you prefer, we can e-mail you a short survey to complete instead, which takes around 5-10 minutes.

 

We will ask you about your views of the work support your employee received:

• Were you satisfied with the support your employee received from the Workwell trial’s occupational therapist? Why or why not?

• What impact has the work support had on you and your business/organisation?

• Was there any advice or help your employee would have wanted to receive but did not get?

• Are there any other comments you wish to make about the work advice provided?

 

We will ask your permission to audio-record the interview and may use anonymised quotes from the interview or survey in our reports or publications, if appropriate.

 

Expenses

There is no expense to you as we will telephone you on the day of the interview / email the survey for you to respond by email.

 

What will I have to do?

Telephone interview: You will need to be available on the arranged time and date to be able to speak with us for up to 10 minutes.

Email survey: You will need to respond to the survey by email, which should take 5-10 minutes to complete.

 

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There are no direct benefits to you. The information you provide us with could help improve Rheumatology services for employed people with inflammatory forms of arthritis.

 

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

We do not expect there are any disadvantages or risks to you. If you have opted for the telephone interview, we will arrange the phone call at a time to suit you.

 

Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?

All information collected from you during the research will be kept strictly confidential. The interview information will only identify you by a study number.  Your information will only be listened to or viewed by staff involved in the research study.  You have the right to check the accuracy of the data held and correct any errors.

 

How will we use your personal data and your rights under the law?

The University of Salford is the sponsor for this study based in the United Kingdom. We will be using information from you in order to undertake this study and will act as the data controller for this study. This means that we are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly.

Your rights to access, change or move your information are limited, as we need to manage your information in specific ways in order for the research to be reliable and accurate. If you withdraw from the study, we will keep the information about you that we have already obtained. To safeguard your rights, we will use the minimum personally-identifiable information possible. The only people in the University of Salford and the Lancashire Clinical Trials Unit who will have access to information that identifies you will be people who need to contact you to (for example to discuss the study, find out any missing information, arrange an interview) or audit the data collection process. The people who analyse the information will not be able to identify you and will not be able to find out your name or contact details.

The University of Salford will keep identifiable information about you 6 years after the study has finished i.e., until August 2028. Your information will be stored in locked cabinets and then a data archive store within the Centre for Health Sciences Research and only accessible to members of the research team. After this date, your identifiable information, questionnaires (paper and any scanned information) will be confidentially destroyed or purged from the University server. The University of Salford will keep identifiable information about you 6 years after the study has finished i.e., until August 2028.   

You can find out more about how we use your information by contacting Prof Alison Hammond.

What will happen if there is a problem?

Any complaint about the way you have been dealt with during the study or any possible harm you might suffer will be addressed. If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should ask to speak to the researchers who will do their best to answer your questions (contact Prof Alison Hammond - the Chief Investigator, see below under Further Information and Contact Details). If you remain unhappy and wish to complain formally, you can do this through the School of Health & Society, University of Salford. Please contact:

Dr Andrew Findlow, Chair of the Health Research Ethics Panel, PO49, Brian Blatchford Building, Frederick Road Campus, University of Salford, Salford, M6 6PU.

Tel: 0161 295 0037. Email: a.h.findlow@salford.ac.uk

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The findings from this study will be written up and submitted for publication to enable NHS Rheumatology and Therapy departments to learn from our experiences. You would not be identified in any report or publication.

 

Who is organizing and funding the research?

The study is being organized by the Centre for Health Sciences Research, University of Salford. It is being funded by Versus Arthritis (formerly Arthritis Research UK).

 

Who has reviewed the study?

All research in the NHS is looked at by independent groups of people, called a Research Ethics Committee to protect your safety, rights, wellbeing and dignity. This study has been reviewed and given favourable opinion by West Midlands-Solihull Research Ethics Committee. It has also been approved by the Research Ethics Committee, University of Salford.

 

Further information and contact details

If you have any questions about the study, wish to discuss taking part or have any concerns; please contact the researchers leading the study:

Prof Alison Hammond, Chief Investigator

Email: a.hammond@salford.ac.uk

Dr Angela Ching, Trial Manager

Email: a.ching@salford.ac.uk

Mobile: 07790 912 929

 

If you have any general queries about participating in research, information is available on the Involve website (www.invo.org.uk). INVOLVE is a national advisory Group, funded by the Department of Health, which supports active public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research.

 

Finally

Many thanks for reading this information. Please keep this information sheet.