Stephen Brealey
Research Fellow (Trial Manager)

Profile

Biography

Stephen has a background in Diagnostic Radiography and Health Services Research. He has experience in the design and conduct of studies about the diagnostic accuracy of tests and interpretation of medical images. His main area of expertise is as a Trial Co-ordinator of multi-centre pragmatic randomised trials of musculoskeletal conditions in both primary and secondary care with a special interest in orthopaedic surgical trials. 

Qualifications

• PhD
• BSc

Research

Projects

• ACTIVE - This is a multicentre, pragmatic randomised controlled trial that aims to obtain reliable evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of internal plate fixation versus external frame fixation for pilon fractures of the ankle in adult patients.  It is funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme. 
• DIDACT - Multi-centre randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgery compared with sling immobilisation in the management of adults with radiological diagnosis of a displaced fracture of the distal clavicle that does not involve the acromioclavicular joint.
• Proximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation (ProFHER) Trial - This is a multicentre, pragmatic randomised controlled trial that aims to obtain reliable evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgical versus non-surgical treatment for the majority of displaced fractures of the proximal humerus in adults. It is funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme.
• PACT: An NIHR funded programme of research that includes a cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the PACT intervention that aims to improve the safety and experience of care transitions (i.e. discharge from hospital to settling in back at home) for older people (age 75+).
• RAPSODI - An RCT assessing whether reverse total shoulder replacement is superior to an anatomical total shoulder replacement for the treatment of painful osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint in patients over 60 years old.
• Scaphoid Waist Internal Fixation for Fractures Trial (SWIFFT) - This is a multicentre, pragmatic randomised controlled trial that aims to obtain reliable evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgical fixation versus plaster cast treatment of fractures of the scaphoid waist in adult patients.  It is funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme.
• UK FROST - This is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation and nested qualitative study comparing early structured physiotherapy versus manipulation under anaesthesia versus arthroscopic capsular release for patients referred to secondary care with a frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis).

Research group(s)

• Trials and Statistics

Publications

Full publications list

• Stephen Brealey's publications