The Improving the Oral Health of Older People Initiative (IOHOPI) is in the early stages of formation. In my capacity of Research Fellow, I have been working closely with the stakeholders including:
- Medway Local Authority,
- Consultants in both Dental and General Public Health,
- Sussex Partnership and University College London,
- Kent And Medway Research Management And Governance Organisation,
- Research Ethics and Governance Officer at the University of Kent
- Research Ethics Committee Managers at the London-Bromley Health Research Authority
- Social Care Research Ethics Committee.
The stakeholders have been forwarded the drafted study-proposal, based upon reviewed literature, to determine the acceptability and feasibility of the proposed research outline.
The initiative/project was registered on 17th December 2014 by Nicole Palmer (Research Ethics and Governance Officer at Research Services, University of Kent) and it is anticipated that an economist/statistician will be engaged to advise on the final study design.
The protocol will undergo an independent peer review, in addition to the Ethics Form being submitted for ethics approval to the London-Bromley Health Research Authority and the Social Care Research Ethics Committee.
Also, an opportunity has arisen to consider including Folkestone area, in addition to the Medway area, within IOHOPI. The feasibility of extending the initiative to include Folkestone is currently being explored but is subject to funding and other conditions.
In addition, the Project Team have contacted the Westminster Health Forum in regards to presenting the initiative/ project at the upcoming keynote seminar (June 2015): Care for older people: funding, integration, and priorities for policy1. The organisers have confirmed if a speakers slot becomes available the Project Team will be considered to present.
1 http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/forums/event.php?eid=954