Introduction

trauma
Trials conducted in pre-hospital trauma are associated with a number of specific logistical and methodological challenges, which may have resulted in relatively few trials being conducted in this setting. For example, randomisation and intervention delivery are often difficult because they occur in remote locations, public spaces, private residences, or emergency vehicles (ambulance, helicopter and/or fast response car) [Previous studies have explored clinicians’ perspectives of the challenges and opportunities for the delivery of pre-hospital trials, but these have tended to focus on individual trials rather than the perspectives of clinicians involved in multiple trials across the pre-hospital trial landscape. A significant focus to date has also been on the experiences of emergency medical service personnel, largely paramedics, in land-based ambulance crews [Pre-hospital trauma trials involve various people (e.g. doctors and paramedics) carrying out specific behaviours to accomplish tasks such as patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment priorities, intervention delivery and transportation to hospital. These behaviours are often carried out in difficult environments, can be compounded by poor weather conditions, and are distanced from in-hospital medical support [The aim of this study was to use methods from behavioural science to identify the key challenges and opportunities involved in the set-up, design and conduct of trials in a pre-hospital trauma setting generally, and also to address the feasibility of a specific pre-hospital trauma trial. We aimed to understand the issues that affect the conduct of pre-hospital trials by garnering views from pre-hospital trial researchers involved in multiple trials across the UK and clinical investigators from a specific pre-hospital feasibility study.