For clinicians

The MIDAS-GP Study

"Real world" pain outcomes and experiences of care

The aim of this research is to provide new research evidence to inform efforts to reduce variation in the outcomes and experiences of care between different groups of patients with musculoskeletal pain and between different general practices.

Painful musculoskeletal conditions like back pain and osteoarthritis cause more disability in the general population than any other health conditions. Poorer communities and individuals appear to be hardest hit. In order to have a suitably ‘joined up’ response to this challenge we need accurate and meaningful joined up information on musculoskeletal health, risk, and care in local populations. This is what our study will try to address.

We will invite adults who have recently consulted their general practice with a painful musculoskeletal condition to tell us about their condition and their care. People will have the option of doing this through an online questionnaire (with support over the telephone, if needed) or by pen-and-paper questionnaire. If people agree, we will contact them again with short questionnaires up to 6 months later to understand if they have got better. We will also ask them if we can link their questionnaire responses with information held in their medical records so that we can piece together the type of care people are receiving with the kind of problem they have and the outcome of their care. We want to involve at least 26 general practices across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, particularly those serving more deprived and ethnically diverse areas. Despite our best efforts, we know that not all people will agree to take part. So, to get a proper overview, a second part of this study will look at the overall levels of prescribing painkillers, referrals to hospital specialists, and other measures of musculoskeletal care for each general practice.

MIDAS-GP-Study-GP-Flyer

Contact the MIDAS-GP Study Trial Manager:

Email: c.thompson1@keele.ac.uk