PROTECT platform
A national perioperative platform trial to improve outcomes for surgical patients.
Platform trial for the delivery of multi-centre randomised and non- randomised research questions for adult patients undergoing surgery.
Aim
To provide a research platform for the simultaneous testing of multiple treatment approaches with the overarching aim of improving the care of patients treated on a surgical care pathway.
PROTECT Master protocol v3.0 19.06.2025.pdf [PDF 527KB]
A multi-centre, multi-factorial platform trial evaluating multiple interventions and comparisons across the surgical care pathway in NHS hospitals and other NHS surgical services.
- Adult patients (≥18 years) being treated within a surgical care pathway at the recruitment sites.
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Inability or refusal to provide informed consent.
Interventions may include IMPs, surgical procedures, or care pathways, delivered at any stage from diagnosis through treatment to rehabilitation.
Each comparison appendix will define specific comparators.
- Complications within 30 days after surgery.
- Days alive and at home at 30 and 90 days after surgery.
- Mortality at 30 and 90 days, and one year after surgery.
- Health-related quality of Life (EQ-5D-5L) at 30 and 90 days after surgery.
- Duration of primary hospital admission up to 90 days after surgery.
- Re-admission to hospital within 90 days of surgery.
Each comparison appendix will define comparison-specific hospital level feasibility outcomes.