Table 3.

Steps taken by research teams to optimise recruitment and interviewees’ suggestions for improvement

Strategy	Techniques employed	Suggestions for improvement
Preparation and planning	• Assess feasibility before embarking on a study	• Create shared research databases of potentially eligible patients
	• Pre-screen clinic notes to identify potentially eligible patients	• Increase speed of ethical approval process
	• Establish patient identification centres in surrounding hospitals
	• Ensure research nurses are available to discuss study during patient’s clinic appointment
Engendering patient support	• Research introduced by patient’s doctor	• Increase public awareness of clinical research
	• Advertise the study, but also approach patients individually	• Opt-out systems
	• Explain importance of clinical research for improvements in healthcare	• More accessible participant information sheets
		• Increase use of information technology
	• Discuss the multidisciplinary team involved in research	• Support patients without English as their main language
		• Reduce time commitment required and increase flexibility of appointment times
		• Social events for trial participants
		• Increase financial support for participants
Collaboration with clinicians	• Establish integrated clinical and academic teams	• Greater collaboration with primary care clinicians
	• Hold research meetings and provide regular updates and feedback
	• Enlist a dedicated study co-ordinator
	• Give prizes for successful recruitment