Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned

Abstract Background With the population ageing, more victims of community crime are likely to be older adults. The psychological impact of crime on older victims is significant and sustained, but only feasibility trials have been published regarding potential interventions. The integration of public...

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Main Authors: Marc Serfaty, Jessica Satchell, Gloria K. Laycock, Chris R. Brewin, Marta Buszewicz, Gerard Leavey, Vari M. Drennan, Jonathan Cooke, Anthony Kessel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:Trials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08680-y
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author Marc Serfaty
Jessica Satchell
Gloria K. Laycock
Chris R. Brewin
Marta Buszewicz
Gerard Leavey
Vari M. Drennan
Jonathan Cooke
Anthony Kessel
author_facet Marc Serfaty
Jessica Satchell
Gloria K. Laycock
Chris R. Brewin
Marta Buszewicz
Gerard Leavey
Vari M. Drennan
Jonathan Cooke
Anthony Kessel
author_sort Marc Serfaty
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background With the population ageing, more victims of community crime are likely to be older adults. The psychological impact of crime on older victims is significant and sustained, but only feasibility trials have been published regarding potential interventions. The integration of public health and care services and cross-agency working is recommended, but there is little information on how this should be undertaken. Our recent Victim Improvement Package (VIP) randomised controlled trial (RCT) involved cross-agency collaboration between our university, a police service and a mental health charity. However, as the VIP trial only managed to recruit 131 out of 226 participants, we hope our reflections will help those wishing to conduct research in this population. Methods The trial management group (authors) and partners organisations identified the challenges and lessons learned from conducting the VIP trial in which the police identified and screened victims of reported community crime, aged 65 years or over, for distress. In the VIP trial, three screening methods were used: (1) visits by safer neighbourhood teams (SNTs), (2) police telephone screening and (3) employment of a university researcher embedded within the police service. Staff from the mental health charity were trained to deliver a manualised cognitive-behaviourally informed Victim Improvement Package (VIP) to be compared against treatment as usual (TAU). Lessons learned Factors promoting successful screening included simple IT systems, building rapport with the police and maintaining contact with participants. However, policy and staff changes within the police service and altered public confidence in the police compromised screening. The delivery of therapy was impaired by waiting times, therapist availability and the quality of therapy. Conducting research within an existing busy clinical service was challenging, but the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of offering online therapy to older victims. Conclusion SNT screening was an effective way to identify distressed victims, but service demands question whether it is viable for working police staff and the delivery of the therapy proved challenging in the context of a traditional RCT. Ways in which to strengthen research in this pioneering area of work are discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-28359c750c034c3cb9fed73985fee9a12025-01-19T12:37:56ZengBMCTrials1745-62152025-01-012611910.1186/s13063-024-08680-yCross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learnedMarc Serfaty0Jessica Satchell1Gloria K. Laycock2Chris R. Brewin3Marta Buszewicz4Gerard Leavey5Vari M. Drennan6Jonathan Cooke7Anthony Kessel8Division of Psychiatry, Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research, University College LondonDivision of Psychiatry, Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research, University College LondonDivision of Psychiatry, Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research, University College LondonDivision of Psychiatry, Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research, University College LondonDivision of Psychiatry, Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research, University College LondonBamford Centre for Mental Health & Wellbeing, University of Ulster at BelfastCentre for Applied Health & Social Care Research & School of Nursing, Allied and Public Health, Kingston UniversityPPI MemberFaculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineAbstract Background With the population ageing, more victims of community crime are likely to be older adults. The psychological impact of crime on older victims is significant and sustained, but only feasibility trials have been published regarding potential interventions. The integration of public health and care services and cross-agency working is recommended, but there is little information on how this should be undertaken. Our recent Victim Improvement Package (VIP) randomised controlled trial (RCT) involved cross-agency collaboration between our university, a police service and a mental health charity. However, as the VIP trial only managed to recruit 131 out of 226 participants, we hope our reflections will help those wishing to conduct research in this population. Methods The trial management group (authors) and partners organisations identified the challenges and lessons learned from conducting the VIP trial in which the police identified and screened victims of reported community crime, aged 65 years or over, for distress. In the VIP trial, three screening methods were used: (1) visits by safer neighbourhood teams (SNTs), (2) police telephone screening and (3) employment of a university researcher embedded within the police service. Staff from the mental health charity were trained to deliver a manualised cognitive-behaviourally informed Victim Improvement Package (VIP) to be compared against treatment as usual (TAU). Lessons learned Factors promoting successful screening included simple IT systems, building rapport with the police and maintaining contact with participants. However, policy and staff changes within the police service and altered public confidence in the police compromised screening. The delivery of therapy was impaired by waiting times, therapist availability and the quality of therapy. Conducting research within an existing busy clinical service was challenging, but the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of offering online therapy to older victims. Conclusion SNT screening was an effective way to identify distressed victims, but service demands question whether it is viable for working police staff and the delivery of the therapy proved challenging in the context of a traditional RCT. Ways in which to strengthen research in this pioneering area of work are discussed.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08680-yRCTPolice screeningImpact of crimeOlder peopleCBT delivery
spellingShingle Marc Serfaty
Jessica Satchell
Gloria K. Laycock
Chris R. Brewin
Marta Buszewicz
Gerard Leavey
Vari M. Drennan
Jonathan Cooke
Anthony Kessel
Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned
Trials
RCT
Police screening
Impact of crime
Older people
CBT delivery
title Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned
title_full Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned
title_fullStr Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned
title_full_unstemmed Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned
title_short Cross-agency working when conducting a pragmatic RCT for older victims of crime: our experiences and lessons learned
title_sort cross agency working when conducting a pragmatic rct for older victims of crime our experiences and lessons learned
topic RCT
Police screening
Impact of crime
Older people
CBT delivery
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08680-y
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