Research project - Transforming Care and Improving Safety for Patients with MLTCs

How can care be better managed for patients with multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) particularly among patients from disadvantaged backgrounds

Over 14 million people in England live with 2 or more long-term illnesses – also known as multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs).

MLTCs become more frequent as we age and disproportionately affect the most disadvantaged in society.

Managing and supporting patients with MLTCs is complicated because they often need several treatments such a numerous medicines and operations. Unless appropriate and joined-up care is taken, the complexity of treatment required by people with MLTCs can result in harm.

This research is looking to change this phenomenon through a Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC).

The research is divided into 5 different themes:

  • Artificial intelligence and data to support safety in MLTCs
  • Safer management of polypharmacy in MLTCs
  • Safer surgery in MLTCs
  • Safer integrated health and social care environments
  • Safer management of MLTCs in disadvantaged communities

St Oswald’s Hospice is working with Newcastle University to research the safer management of polypharmacy in MLTCs.

Polypharmacy is the impact of receiving multiple medicines at the same time for different conditions.

Professor Adam Todd, Professor of Pharmaceutical Public Health at Newcastle University and Professor Barbara Hanratty, Professor of Primary Care and Public Health at Newcastle University.

Local lead: Dr Felicity Dewhurst, Consultant in Palliative Care at St Oswald’s Hospice.

NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaborations

1st April 2023 – 31 March 2028

Aims are to improve safety:

  • In how we prescribe medicines for patients with MLTCs.
  • In how we carry out surgery in patients with MLTCs.
  • For patients, through how we develop health and social care delivery systems for patients with MLTCs.

Strategic objectives are to:

  • Design and deliver innovative and transformative patient safety research, aimed at embedding patient safety practices, behaviours and effective and efficient service delivery models within health and social care systems.
  • Build capacity, through training and development, for interdisciplinary research, focused on patient safety, within the context of MLTCs. We will use the unique training strengths in Newcastle to develop the next generation of patient safety researchers and practitioners.
  • Create impact for patients and the public, by embedding the patient voice in guiding research priorities.
  • Implement an inclusive culture research within our PSRC and ensure equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Develop effective and symbiotic partnerships with NHIP, and embed within our existing NIHR infrastructure, alongside National Innovation Centres, third sector organisations and industry.
  • Leverage research funding from NIHR and other UKRI, charity and industry funders through the PSRC structures.

This will be a multiphase study.