SEED PROJECT: Co-producing resources for clinicians and people with Spinal Cord Injuries in Queensland: Enhancing patient decision-making and access to information.

About the Project

About the Project

Researcher Name: Dr Kelsey Chapman

Project Team: Chief Investigators Kelsey Chapman*, Emily Bray*, Kiley Pershouse, Delena Amsters, Kelly Clanchy, Claire Panagoda.
Associate Investigators Delena Amsters, Hang Chung Ling**

About

 Access to information and communication that is transparent, inclusive, and accessible, emphasises equitable access to services and supports. The development of an orientation resource and associated co-production process will enhance information delivery and improve rehabilitation systems of care and transitions to new wards for patients with SCI and new injuries more broadly. A “how-to” toolkit will document the resource development process, facilitating exchange and building workforce capacity to create similar resources in the future. Our approach of centring patient and clinician perspectives through interviews and co-design workshops will deliver a resource with demonstrated utility and acceptability. Our approach also ensures that both the orientation resource and toolkit are shaped by lived experiences, actively involving patients with SCI in decision-making processes, promoting collaborative and inclusive research practices. Both the resource and toolkit will contribute to sustainable impact and utility beyond the lifecycle and scope of this funded research.

Aim and objective

To develop a co-designed, tailored orientation resource to facilitate improved dignified orientation in inpatient hospital wards for people with newly acquired injuries, focusing initially on SCI and an accompanying co-production method and “how-to” toolkit for clinicians.

Co-producing both a process and orientation resource will directly benefit patients and support networks within QSCIS supporting their dignified transition onto new wards. It will increase dignity and the ability of health systems and services to create responsive, empathic interfaces for their patients and their caregivers. Staff will benefit from patients receiving effective, transparent and completed critical orientation information, helping to reduce resource pressures and save time QSCIS, as a state-wide service, will be able to leverage both the resource and process to benefit their broader SCI response across Queensland, improving the quality-of-service delivery for patients and clinicians.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

The project aligns with Metro South Health Disability Service and is supported by executives at QSCIS. This ensures immediate potential impact for the findings, improving pathways for embedding evidence into practice.

The project will support newly injured people facing overwhelming volumes of information about their injury, prognosis, and care, to receive the most relevant information about their care in ways that are dignified and co-designed by lived experience. Information that is delivered or endorsed by peers is highly sought after and powerful for patients, supporting both the patient and caregiver. It will also enable toe health system to create more responsive, empathic interfaces for patients and caregivers.

This project commenced in late 2024 and will be share research results and insights in late 2025.