Evaluation of the Development of the Burdett National Transition Nursing Network

This study forms the evaluation aspect to a large transition-related innovation that is taking place across England (https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/burdett-national-transition-nursing-network/).

It is important to formally evaluate this process. The study has been designed to determine whether the Burdett National Transition Network and implementation of the Model of Improvement for Transition has an impact on the experience of transitioning from child to adult services for young people, and their families. The research team at the University of Surrey will conduct a three-phased, mixed methods study to understand the experiences of all relevant stakeholders involved in the Network and the model's implementation and transition service users. The overall aim is to document new learning to ensure maximum reach of the model within a network of transition care, and improve the outcomes for young people transitioning to adult services.

STUDY DESIGN Our intention is to undertake a process evaluation using a case study approach. The investigators want to look at the change from before, during and after the Model of Improvement for Transition's implementation. The investigators plan to gather data at the start of the project about what happens now, and then what happens as the Model of Improvement for Transition evolves. The investigators will also gather information that is already routinely collected on an ongoing basis in each of the sites working with the RNAs, as part of the overall implementation project. This will be provided in summary form. As this is an evolving process, this may include but may not be limited to the:

1. Number of Transition Lead roles for a whole organisation;
2. Number of organisations working through Transition QI process;
3. Number of organisations with transition contact;
4. Number of organisations with an Executive Lead for transition;
5. Number of Quality Improvement (QI) transition pathways completed;
6. Number of health-based youth workers that are in post to support transition;
7. Number of organisations with processes in place to use feedback from young people to support service improvement;
8. Number of organisations with effective Transition governance processes in place e.g. transition board, steering group, organisational policy and reporting.

Two organisations or services per region (eight study sites in total) that is involved in the transition of young people to adult health services will be selected as case studies, giving eight case studies in total. To inform an unbiased selection of cases, a list of criteria will be described a priori by the project team, a consensus will be reached on the type, and context of the services to be included based on maximum variation, for example, geography and deprivation score, size of institution or service, ethnic diversity of the population, type of long-term health condition. The investigators aim to include populations that are under-researched such as: young people with complex needs, mental health problems, looked after children, young people receiving palliative care, and those for whom English is not their first language.