The East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust are undertaking a small clinical trial to test a new way of managing pain for children and young people, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The PANDA Feasibility Trial (improving Pain mAnagement for childreN and young people attendeD by Ambulance) will involve a small number of paramedics across EMAS.
These paramedics will be randomly selected to undertake additional pain management learning, receive extra feedback on their clinical practice along with a small pocket guide, and receive a children’s distraction kit (containing bravery stickers and sensory toys) to use at their discretion. The toys will include a rainbow popper, a squidgy ball, a rattle, and a water ring toss game.
The aim of this trial is to see whether these changes to clinical practice are acceptable to children and young people, parents and carers, and staff. We also aim to determine if a future large scale clinical trial is needed to test the clinical and cost effectiveness of these changes.
This clinical trial is low risk. Standard pain medicines and medical devices will not be changed. The trial has been reviewed and approved by an NHS research ethics committee and the Health Research Authority. The toys in the distraction kit will all be CE/UKCA marked and safe to use. Parents, carers, children and young people will be informed about the clinical trial at the earliest appropriate opportunity when attended by one of our trial paramedics.
If you have any questions about the PANDA Feasibility Trial, please contact the EMAS Research Team: researchteam