Linkage of routinely-collected healthcare data and bespoke research questionnaire data to best serve NHS patient study participants.

ObjectivesPre-surgical ‘health optimisation’ programmes aim to improve patients’ health and to reduce their need for surgery. Routinely-collected data does not provide sufficient insight into whether or how these programmes meet their intended outcomes. The aim was to link routinely-collected NHS data with bespoke research questionnaire data to address this insufficiency. ApproachA study was designed to identify and collect data from a patient cohort eligible for a health optimisation programme (offering weight management and smoking cessation support) to determine programme uptake and patient outcomes. Patient and public involvement (PPI)  group engagement revealed support for the use of data linkage between routinely-collected NHS data and study questionnaires, and shaped the study proposal. The HDRUK-supported regional ‘Systemwide Dataset’ of NHS routinely-collected data would provide demographics, healthcare usage and clinical outcomes. Questionnaires would provide data on patient decision-making and engagement with weight management or smoking cessation and detailed pain, function, wellbeing and activation measures. ResultsThe study received Health Research Authority approva