Overview

HIPPOCRATES is a large-scale, six year study, with a widespread team including patients and public, anaesthetists, surgeons, researchers and designers.

Our aim is to develop interventions that will improve surgical outcomes in patients experiencing deprivation.

Work Package 1- uses quantitative (statistical) research to define deprivation and help inform three interventions.

These interventions are being developed in Work Package 2‍ ‍by talking to patients and members of the public living in deprived areas across England, as well as to health and social care professionals, whilst Work Package 3 will prepare for the clinical trials.

Our interventions will then be tested in practice - Work Package 4. We will study 420 patients in twelve hospitals, comparing the three methods. We will move forward with the most effective of the three.

A large clinical trail -Work Package 5 - will then be conducted to study patients in 40 NHS hospitals, to see if the chosen intervention reduces deaths and time spent in hospital after surgery, along with other outcomes important to patients.

Work Package 6 will consider further roll-out of the interventions.

Throughout the study we will share findings with health professionals, NHS leaders, researchers and members of the public.