Improving work participation in patients with physical long-term health conditions (IMPPACT)

Aims To carry out a mixed-methods study to establish whether patients with one of four pLTCs (sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, or inflammatory bowel disease) would benefit from an intervention to facilitate work participation, and the optimal timing and mode of delivery for this intervention.

What the research will involve:

Work package (WP)1: Conduct a review of existing work participation interventions.  

WP2: Establish a multi-centre network of specialist clinicians treating patients with each of the four pLTCs and ascertain optimal methods of recruiting patients into the study.  

WP3: Undertake a cross-sectional survey of 400 patients (100 per pLTC) and collect demographic, clinical and occupational information, including current, past, and desired work participation.  

WP4: Conduct qualitative interviews to explore scope for improved work capacity in patients with the four pLTCs, including the optimal timing to receive a work participation intervention. WP5: Synthesise the findings to propose a draft integrated, shared-care, work participation intervention involving primary care and secondary care teams, ready to be refined in a subsequent programme of work. 

What has the study found so far? (key updates)  

Recruitment is underway with 138 participants so far. We have also completed 19 interviews and analysis of this data is ongoing. Recruitment is due to end February 2026 with the project ending April 2026. 

Study Team: Dr Johanna Feary, Prof Ira Madan, Dr Vaughan Parsons, Dr Brendan Dempsey and others.  

Further information: rupa.bhundia@nhs.net

Funder: National Institute of Health Research (Programme Development award) 

Publications- none