Research User Group Newsletter Keele University RUG Summer newsletter 2018 | Page 26

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RESEARCH
RESEARCH
27
Maximising outcomes for shoulder
pain treatment in primary care: making
better use of diagnostic and prognostic
information (PANDA-S)
In England, 1.5 million people visit their
general practitioner (GP) for shoulder
pain annually; of these 40% will have
on-going pain affecting sleep, work, and
everyday life, which costs UK society
£100m. Seven times more patients have
surgery now compared with 10 years
ago, even though there is little evidence
that surgery is more effective than
non-surgical treatments, such as
shoulder exercises. However, GPs are
uncertain about diagnosing shoulder
pain accurately or which treatment is
best for their patients.
The PANDA-S study aims to
try a new approach to predict
the future outcome of shoulder
pain so that the best possible
treatments can be matched to
each patients shoulder pain
symptoms (known as “stratified
care”). This research will benefit
patients and the NHS in several
ways by;
• Improving information and
advice for patients about
their shoulder pain
• Ensuring clinicians can better
advise patients about their
shoulder pain
•

Reduce unnecessary
investigations and treatments in
those who don’t need them,
while offering treatments earlier
to those who do need them
• Reducing long-term pain,
disability, and work loss
due to shoulder pain
1.5 million people visit their
general practitioner (GP) for
shoulder pain annually; of these
40% will have on-going pain
affecting sleep, work, and
everyday life.”
PANDA-S will include 4 phases of work.
1. Use of data from existing studies to identify which patients are
most likely to benefit from which treatments.
2. Recruit 1000 patients with shoulder pain to a 3-year study to
identify patients at low versus increased risk of persistent pain
and disability.
3. Work with expert clinicians and patient representatives to
combine findings from 1. and 2. To develop a screening and
decision tool for clinicians to help them select the best possible
treatments for their patients with shoulder pain.
4. Test the screening and decision tool in a randomised controlled
trial including 530 patients with shoulder pain to test whether
using stratified care leads to better outcomes for the patients
and better value for money for the NHS compared to
usual care.
PANDA-S is a 7 year programme, funded by a National Institute of Health
Research programme grant and recruitment to the cohort study will begin
in autumn 2018.
THE PPIE AND THE PANDA-S TEAM WANT TO FIND
PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHOULDER PAIN TO JOIN THE
RUG AND HELP WITH PPIE AS PANDA-S PROGRESSES.
In particular they are looking for any RUG member with
shoulder pain who would like to become part of the Trial
Steering Committee. So far the RUG group have played a huge
part in shaping the App questions and there are plenty more
opportunities for involvement in the future.