East Lancashire Hospitals NHS

This project aims to understand how platinum-based chemotherapy affects hearing function in cancer patients from different socioeconomic backgrounds in the North West of England. Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, are ototoxic, meaning that they cause permanent damage to the hair cells of the ear, resulting in hearing loss. Patients from more deprived backgrounds face additional risk factors to their hearing health, including limited healthcare access, greater occupational noise exposure, and poorer overall health, making them more vulnerable to hearing loss.
This is especially concerning as hearing loss can make communication more challenging, which creates a greater reliance on cognitive processes such as thinking and memory to navigate social interactions. This challenge is exacerbated when individuals experience cognitive dysfunction related to chemotherapy, commonly referred to as 'chemo brain'. Addressing these communication difficulties is crucial for promoting healthy ageing and maintaining social engagement. It is expected that cancer patients from the most deprived backgrounds would experience greater hearing loss following chemotherapy than those from less deprived backgrounds.
As a secondary aim, this study will also investigate how hearing loss may affect cognitive function. Specifically, it will assess whether differences in speech-in-noise performance from pre- to post-treatment predict cognitive performance post-treatment, to understand if changes in hearing over time are associated with changes in cognition. The study will also explore how socioeconomic deprivation, cumulative chemotherapy dose, and treatment duration influence these relationships. By identifying disparities in hearing loss and possible associations with cognition, this research will help guide future hearing screening and intervention strategies for cancer patients.

This is a mixed-methods study consisting of a qualitative assessment the acceptability of psychosocial interventions, delivered by clinical staff. The study will also investigate the correlation between demographic variables and engagement with a North West England, NHS-led, alcohol care service, amongst the patient population.

Achilles tendinopathy is a common condition that causes pain and stiffness in the tendon at the back of the ankle. It can make walking, exercise, work, and everyday activities difficult. The main recommended treatment is a programme of progressive tendon-loading exercises, usually supported by an NHS physiotherapist. These exercises can help improve pain and function, but many people find them hard to continue over time. This means that, even though the treatment can work well, some people do not get the full benefit because they are unable to keep up with the exercise programme as advised.
People with Achilles tendinopathy often describe worries about making the tendon worse, uncertainty about whether pain during exercise is safe, low confidence, slow progress, and difficulty fitting exercises into daily life. These challenges may be even greater for people from underserved groups, including those living with long-term health conditions, financial pressures, language barriers, or other forms of disadvantage. At present, there is limited research exploring these experiences in a structured way, especially in routine NHS care.
The aim of this study is to understand what helps or makes it harder for people to stick with NHS-prescribed progressive tendon-loading exercises for Achilles tendinopathy. The study will focus particularly on the experiences of people who may be at higher risk of poor outcomes or reduced access to support.
Up to 30 adults with experience of Achilles tendinopathy and previous NHS physiotherapy treatment will take part in a one-to-one interview. Interviews will last up to 45 minutes and can take place in person, online, or by telephone, depending on what suits the participant best. Participants will be asked about their experiences of living with Achilles tendon pain, being given exercise treatment, and trying to follow that treatment in everyday life.
The information from these interviews will be analysed to identify the main barriers and supports affecting exercise adherence. The findings will be used to build a clearer understanding of the behavioural factors that influence whether people are able to continue with treatment. This will help inform the future development of a targeted support approach to improve adherence to exercise-based rehabilitation for Achilles tendinopathy in NHS practice.
The long-term goal of the study is to help make treatment more effective, more personalised, and more suitable for people from a wide range of backgrounds, including those whose needs are often overlooked in research and healthcare design.