Clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and service users' perceptions of early, well-resourced communication therapy following a stroke: a randomised controlled trial (the ACT NoW Study)

Bowen A, Hesketh A, Patchick E, Young A, Davies L, Vail A, Long A, Watkins C, Wilkinson M, Pearl G, Lambon Ralph M, Tyrrell P on behalf of the ACT NoW investigators
Record ID 32005000944
English
Authors' objectives: The ACT NoW (Assessing the effectiveness of Communication Therapy in the North West) study was commissioned by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and began with a feasibility study followed by a definitive study of the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and service user and carer views of an early well-resourced flexible communication intervention delivered by SL therapists, compared with an equivalent amount of contact but not therapy provided by employees badged as 'visitors'. This aimed to examine whether there is an added benefit of early SL therapy over and above a combination of natural recovery and receiving regular empathic attention.
Authors' recommendations: Report found that there is no evidence to support enhanced provision of early speech and language therapy for people with communication problems after stroke, and instead recommended evaluation of service reorganisation.
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.hta.ac.uk/1390
Year Published: 2012
URL for published report: http://www.hta.ac.uk/1390
URL for additional information: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/psych-sci/actnow
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • State Medicine
  • Aphasia
  • Dysarthria
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Speech Therapy
  • Stroke
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright: 2012 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.