CHELsea II study

Overview

In January of this year we opened a new research study looking into hydration for patients at the end of life.  It is a national study, led by the University of Surrey, and we are one of 71 sites that has the study open, across the UK. 

Because patients are sleepy and tired in the last days of life it can be difficult for them to drink.  We don’t know if this causes any particular problems that may be eased by giving more fluids.    CHELsea II compares encouraging/helping a patient drink, giving the patient regular mouth care, and usual management of symptoms (Study Group A) with giving fluid by a drip in addition to this  care (Study Group B). LOROS has been allocated to study group B. and eight patients have taken part in the study in seven months.

Key information about those patients who participated:

• One self-consented and seven had consent given by a friend or family member (consultee consent)

• One patient lived for longer than 14 days (the duration of study participation)

• Seven patients stopped their fluids before they died and one continued throughout the last days of life.

We had a study monitoring visit in July, which is similar to an audit.  This is standard practice for studies of this size.  The findings noted, among other things, that the “Principle Investigator and research team processes were carried out to a high standard...Data collection was good…with documentation completed clearly and accurately”.  So a massive thank you to the LOROS ward staff for their due diligence and accuracy.

National recruitment update

We are in the top 25% of facilities that have recruited participants to this study, rankings 15th out of 71.

386 participants have been recruited across 71 sites, with a key objective to recruit 400 and ideally 800 participants in the first 12 months.

Please feel free to contact the research team if you would like further information.