Maximising the Impact of Speech and Language Therapy for children with Speech Sound Disorder Phase 2 (MISLToe_SSD-2): A feasibility study of collection of the Core Outcome Set

Research questions Is data collection for the Core Outcomes Set (COS) feasible as part of routine clinical practice for NHS speech and language therapy (SLT) services in England? What are the barriers and enablers to collecting data for the COS in NHS SLT services in England? Background Children with speech sound disorder (SSD) are one of the largest groups referred to NHS SLT services and are at risk for low outcomes in education, mental health and well-being. In the UK, there is significant variation in SSD assessment, diagnosis and treatment within and across SLT services. Currently there is no evidence to show which care pathway is most effective or cost-effective for children with different types of SSD. Standardised data collection at assessment, diagnosis, treatment and outcome will generate a large real-world clinical dataset. This can be used to identify the care pathway that delivers the best and most cost-effective outcomes for children with SSD. Aims and objectives The overarching aim of this Tier 2 RfPB (MISLToe_SSD Phase 2) is to build on the Tier 3 RfPB-funded MISLToe_SSD Phase 1 (the development of the COS by consensus) to determine the feasibility of collecting large-scale COS data from NHS SLT services. The objectives, which map onto three discrete work packages (WPs), are: Establish the process for COS data collection through SystmOne, an electronic health record system (WP1). Identify the barriers and enablers to implementation of COS data collection in SLT services and determine approaches to mitigation of barriers (WP2). Carry out a feasibility study to determine potential for participant recruitment and COS data collection in a full-scale study (WP3). Methods and timelines for delivery WP1 (months 1-4): finalise and pilot collection of the COS data within SystmOne, one of the most widely used electronic patient record systems in the UK. Test data collection feasibility in five NHS sites. WP2 (months 2- 17): collect feedback from IT and clinical teams from WP1 to examine and determine a response to minimise the potential barriers and maximise enablers to collection of COS data and the minimum dataset from an organisational and individual perspective. Design a theory-led training package for clinicians to enable successful implementation. WP3 (months 5-18): determine the potential for recruitment and data collection in a future large-scale study to collect these data from NHS sites across the UK as part of subsequent Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (HS&DR) funded MISLToe_SSD Phase 3. Anticipated impact and dissemination The learning from this work will be disseminated to the PPI group and multisector stakeholders by plain English summary, to the SLT profession via a national conference and to the wider research community through open-access publication. The successful completion of the work will enable planning for large-scale collection of the COS data across the UK. This will establish a new real-world clinical dataset that will be used to investigate the most effective and cost-effective care pathways for children with SSD.