Research priorities for vascular wounds: results of the Vascular Society GBI/James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Process

Abstract

Background: The management of vascular wounds is often a complex and prolonged process that impacts individuals’ quality of life, is challenging for clinicians and results in a significant financial burden to the NHS. UK wound care practices vary considerably perhaps because guidelines and treatment options are frequently based on low levels of clinical and cost effectiveness evidence. Therefore, further research is required but capacity is limited and funding is highly competitive. To address this issue, the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland (VSGBI) in association with the James Lind Alliance (JLA) undertook a national Priority Setting Process (PSP) for vascular conditions. This paper presents the results of this process, with a focus on the topic of ‘vascular wounds’. Methods: A modified JLA PSP was implemented in three overarching phases: (1) a clinician-led survey to gather clinician research priorities; (2) a patient and carer-led survey to gather patient and carer research priorities; and (3) a consensus workshop to discuss clinician and patient priorities and agree a list of joint research priorities. Consensus was achieved using nominal group technique and a ranked ‘top 10’ list of research priorities for vascular wounds was established. Results: In the first phase (clinician-led survey), 481 clinicians submitted 1,231 research questions related to vascular conditions in general. Of these, 36 wound-specific research priorities were reduced to three overarching summary questions recirculated for interim scoring. In the second phase (patient and carer-led survey), 373 patients and carers submitted