Multiple Symptoms Study 3

 Multiple Symptoms Study 3 is a large randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a Symptoms Clinic for people with persistent “medically unexplained” physical symptoms.

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Background

Persistent physical symptoms (which cannot be adequately attributed to physical disease) affect around 1 million people (2% of adults) in the UK. They affect patients’ quality of life and account for at least one-third of referrals from GPs to specialists. These referrals give patients little benefit but have a real cost to health services in terms of time and diagnostic resources. When patients are told that medical tests do not show a cause for their symptoms they are commonly disappointed in their interactions with clinicians.

We know that patients with symptoms want to have those symptoms explained in acceptable ways in order to know that their symptoms are legitimate, and find ways to adapt to them and manage them. Without explanation, many patients seek further healthcare use while at the same time losing confidence that it will help them.

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The Symptoms Clinic

The Symptoms Clinic is a set of up to four medical appointments designed to help people make sense of persistent physical symptoms (especially if medical tests have been negative) and to reduce the impact of symptoms on daily life. Consultations will take place via video link with a doctor who has had special training for the Symptoms Clinic Intervention.

The consultations include detailed medical history taking, explanation (including discussion of appropriate diagnosis) and advice about management. The Symptoms Clinic involves an initial long consultation of approximately 50 minutes followed up by two or three medium-length consultations of 15-20 minutes.

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Study update

The study is currently in follow up.

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Project team

If you have any questions about MSS3 please contact the Trial Manager, Cara Mooney: C.D.Mooney@Sheffield.ac.uk

Name	Role	Site
Professor Chris Burton	Chief Investigator	Academic Unit of Primary Medical Care, University of Sheffield
Cara Mooney	Trial Manager	Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield
Professor Vincent Deary	Co-investigator	Northumbria University, Newcastle
Professor Jeremy Dawson	Trial Statistician	School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield
Professor Gillian Rowlands	Principal Investigator	Newcastle University
Dr Ruth Thomas	Co-investigator	University of Aberdeen
Professor Cindy Cooper	Director, Clinical Trials Research Unit	Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield
Professor Monica Greco	Co-investigator	Goldsmiths, University of London
Dr Tom Sanders	Co-investigator	Northumbria University, Newcastle
Aileen Neilson	Co-investigator	The University of Edinburgh
David White	Co-investigator	Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield
Dr Steve Thomas	Co-Investigator	NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group
Dr Michelle Horspool	Sponsor Representative	NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group
Dr Waquas Waheed	Principal Investigator	The University of Manchester
Laura Sutton	Trial Statistician	Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield
Emily Turton	Trial Data Manager	Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield
Rowena Seaton Kelly	Trial Support Officer	Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield

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Funder

This project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Health Services and Delivery Research (NIHR HS&DR) Programme (project number 15/136/07).

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Sponsor

NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group.

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