Front Line Innovation and Trials
Dr Jemma Hawkins, Research Fellow
DECIPHer Cardiff
www.decipher.uk.net
Overview
• Developing and evaluating school-based interventions
– Trials research
• Examples of front-line innovation
– Identifying cases of best practice
– Understanding and evaluating to inform wider implementation
• Examples of co-production
– Developing interventions with key stakeholders
– Enhancing capacity
www.decipher.uk.net
Medical Research Council Framework
Feasibility/Piloting
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
3. Determining sample size
Development
1. Identifying the evidence base
2. Identifying/developing theory
3. Modelling process and outcomes
Implementation
1. Dissemination
2. Surveillance and monitoring
3. Long term follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net
Evaluation
1. Assessing effectiveness
2. Understanding change process
3. Assessing cost-effectiveness
Example #1 – The WISE study
Feasibility/Piloting
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
3. Determining sample size
Development
1. Identifying the evidence base
2. Identifying/developing theory
3. Modelling process and outcomes
Evaluation
1. Assessing effectiveness
2. Understanding change process
3. Assessing cost-effectiveness
Wellbeing in Secondary Education Project [WISE]
Implementation
• Existing intervention (Mental Health First Aid)
1. Dissemination
• Pilot trial in 6 schools = feasible
2. Surveillance and monitoring
• Randomised
controlled trial in 25 schools
3. Long term
follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net
Example #2 – The WHISP study
Feasibility/Piloting
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
3. Determining sample size
Development
1. Identifying the evidence base
2. Identifying/developing theory
3. Modelling process and outcomes
Wellbeing and HealthEvaluation
in Schools Project [WHISP]
effectiveness
• Existing delivery1.=Assessing
best practice
• Theory informed2. Understanding change process
3. Assessing cost-effectiveness
• No evidence of effectiveness
• Externally funded research
• Understand processes and outcomes
Implementation
• Produce a replicable model for evaluation
1. Dissemination
2. Surveillance and monitoring
3. Long term follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net
Example #3 - The GMI_ALC study
Feasibility/Piloting
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
3. Determining sample size
Development
1. Identifying the evidence base
2. Identifying/developing theory
3. Modelling process and outcomes
Implementation
1. Dissemination
2. Surveillance and monitoring
3. Long term follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net
Evaluation
1. Assessing effectiveness
2. Understanding change process
3. Assessing cost-effectiveness
The GMI_ALC study
Feasibility/Piloting
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
Developing
a GMI intervention
3. Determining
sample size
Identifying the evidence base:
 Lack of evidence for impact of curriculum
approach to health promotion
Development
1. Identifying the evidence base
2. Identifying/developing theory
3. Modelling process and outcomes

Evaluation
Competency-focused
pedagogy emphasises
1. Assessing effectiveness
processes internal
to the learner
2. Understanding change process

3. Assessing
cost-effectiveness
Group Motivational
Interviewing
[GMI]
facilitates active participation and
exploration of personal goals
Implementation
 Emerging evidence for use of GMI with
1. Dissemination
2. Surveillance
and monitoring
young
people
3. Long term follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net
The GMI_ALC study
Feasibility/Piloting
Developing a GMI intervention
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
Identifying/developing theory:
3. Determining sample size
Development
1. Identifying the evidence base
2. Identifying/developing theory
3. Modelling process and outcomes

Identify key components of a GMI
approach to PSE lessons

Identify key components of a teacher
training package
Evaluation
1. Assessing effectiveness
2. Understanding change process
Modelling process
and outcomes:
3. Assessing
cost-effectiveness

Small scale testing of GMI
intervention delivery
Implementation
 Small scale testing of teacher training
1. Dissemination
delivery
2. Surveillance and monitoring
3. Long term follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net
Moving forward to a pilot trial
Feasibility/Piloting
1. Testing procedures
2. Estimating recruitment/retention
3. Determining sample size
Evaluation
Development
1. Assessing effectiveness
1. Identifying the evidence base
Consultation with stakeholders
2. Understanding change process
2. Identifying/developing theory
Assessing
cost-effectiveness
3. Modelling process and outcomes
• Consider results of testing3.and
discuss
key queries
• Refine training and lesson plan
• Identify resources needed to scale-up
Implementation
Finalise
tools
1. measurement
Dissemination
2. Surveillance and monitoring
3. Long term follow-up
www.decipher.uk.net