Specialist healthcare services for concussion/mild traumatic brain injury in England: a consensus statement using modified Delphi methodology

Karvandi, E and Helmy, A and Kolias, AG and Belli, A and Ganau, M and Gomes, C and Grey, M and Griffiths, M and Griffiths, T and Griffiths, P and Holliman, D and Jenkins, P and Jones, B and Lawrence, T and McLoughlin, T and McMahon, C and Messahel, S and Newton, J and Noad, R and Raymont, V and Sharma, K and Sylvester, R and Tadmor, D and Whitfield, P and Wilson, M and Woodberry, E and Parker, M and Hutchinson, PJ (2023) Specialist healthcare services for concussion/mild traumatic brain injury in England: a consensus statement using modified Delphi methodology. BMJ Open, 13. pp. 1-10. ISSN 2044-6055 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077022

Abstract

Objective To establish a consensus on the structure and process of healthcare services for patients with concussion in England to facilitate better healthcare quality and patient outcome.

Design This consensus study followed the modified Delphi methodology with five phases: participant identification, item development, two rounds of voting and a meeting to finalise the consensus statements. The predefined threshold for agreement was set at ≥70%.

Setting Specialist outpatient services.

Participants Members of the UK Head Injury Network were invited to participate. The network consists of clinical specialists in head injury practising in emergency medicine, neurology, neuropsychology, neurosurgery, paediatric medicine, rehabilitation medicine and sports and exercise medicine in England.

Primary outcome measure A consensus statement on the structure and process of specialist outpatient care for patients with concussion in England.

Results 55 items were voted on in the first round. 29 items were removed following the first voting round and 3 items were removed following the second voting round. Items were modified where appropriate. A final 18 statements reached consensus covering 3 main topics in specialist healthcare services for concussion; care pathway to structured follow-up, prognosis and measures of recovery, and provision of outpatient clinics.

Conclusions This work presents statements on how the healthcare services for patients with concussion in England could be redesigned to meet their health needs. Future work will seek to implement these into the clinical pathway.

More Information

Divisions:	Carnegie School of Sport and School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077022
Status:	Published
Refereed:	Yes
Publisher:	BMJ
Additional Information:	© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1103 Clinical Sciences, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, 1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences,
Depositing User (symplectic)	Deposited by Tadmor, Daniel
Date Deposited:	13 Dec 2023 12:38
Last Modified:	14 Dec 2023 14:40
Item Type:	Article