Frailty in AgingFLOWSNCT05963360
Planning for Frailty: Optimal Health and Social Care Workforce Organisation Using Demand-led Simulation Modelling
An observational study of Frailty in Aging and Older People, run by University of Southampton at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
What is the present, and expected, size and composition of the health and social care workforce required to provide care for the frail older population? As the population ages, robust workforce planning to meet future demands for health and social care by older people is needed. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Frailty in Aging, Older People
- How many people
- 50,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2022to 31 Oct 2025
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 50 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Adults age 50 and above
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- Age below 50yrs
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Planning for Frailty: Optimal Health and Social Care Workforce Organisation Using Demand-led Simulation Modelling (FLOWS)
What is the present, and expected, size and composition of the health and social care workforce required to provide care for the frail older population? As the population ages, robust workforce planning to meet future demands for health and social care by older people is needed. A lack of evidence in this areas has led to a mis-match between the health and social care demand from the ageing population and the current workforce capacity. The proposed study will use demand-led simulation modelling of the workforce required to address the specific challenge of providing health and social care for the growing numbers of older people living with frailty.
Read the detailed description
Research Question: What is the present, and expected, size and composition of the health and social care workforce required to provide care for the frail older population? Background: As the population ages, robust workforce planning to meet future demands for health and social care by older people is needed. A lack of evidence in this area has led to a mis-match between the health and social care demand from the ageing population and the current workforce capacity. The proposed study will use demand-led simulation modelling of the workforce required to address the specific challenge of providing health and social care for the growing numbers of older people living with frailty.
Aims \& Objectives: The aim of the study is to use simulation modelling to explore long-term trends in frailty-related health and social care use in the ageing population and its implications for future workforce size and competencies to support high quality care. The primary objective of this study is the creation of a simulation model that will inform service and workforce planning to meet health and social care needs associated with frailty.
Methods: The study will use a System Dynamics design to develop and test the simulation model.
Work packages comprise a scoping review, gathering of public and professional perspectives on service provision via a survey and stakeholder engagement activities, and analysis of linked health and social care data, all of which inform the simulation modelling work package and development of a workforce planning toolkit.
Timelines for delivery: The scoping review will be completed in year 1. Routine health and social care data specification and extraction will occur in year 1, as will service mapping and classification and survey preparation. Survey data collection and analysis will occur in year 2. Simulation modelling will commence in year 2, with validation, sensitivity analyses and scenario modelling in year 3.
Development of workforce guidelines and toolkit will occur in year 3 Stakeholder engagement, including patient public involvement, will run throughout the study, reviewing study results and informing development of the other work packages.
Anticipated impact \& dissemination: This study will provide new, direct evidence about the impact of frailty on health and social care workforce requirements within the ageing population The improved understanding of workforce requirements offered by this study will inform workforce planning for frailty services across health and social care, ensuring future benefit for patients through provision of timely and appropriate care and a workforce planning toolkit to support local decision-making.
- Conditions
- Frailty in Aging, Older People
- Keywords
- Planning for Frailty, Health and Social Care Workforce Organisation, Social care Workforce, Simulation Modelling, Health Workforce
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Frailty in Older people | Older people, 50 and above. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Service use (for cohort analysis)
Use of primary, secondary, community, health and social care services
Measured: 2015-2022
Secondary outcomes (1)
Workforce provision of services to Adults living with Frailty
Information from cohort analysis, health and social care professionals survey and scoping review.
Measured: 2015-2022
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Jul 2023
- Study start1 Nov 2022
- Primary completion31 Oct 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Oct 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Frailty in AgingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 50,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Southampton
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Bournemouth University, Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Bronagh M Walsh/Professor, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Southampton
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05963360
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 71937
- Acronym
- FLOWS
- Status last verified
- May 2025
- First submitted
- 18 Jul 2023
- Last updated
- 4 May 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Data dictionary; variables; types of data
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Planning for Frailty: Optimal Health and Social Care Workforce Organisation Using Demand-led Simulation Modelling (FLOWS)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05963360
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FLOWS / 71937
- Conditions
- Frailty in Aging, Older People
- Keywords
- Planning for Frailty, Health and Social Care Workforce Organisation, Social care Workforce, Simulation Modelling, Health Workforce
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of SouthamptonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Bournemouth University, Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Oct 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Oct 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
What is the present, and expected, size and composition of the health and social care workforce required to provide care for the frail older population? As the population ages, robust workforce planning to meet future demands for health and social care by older people is needed. A lack of evidence in this areas has led to a mis-match between the health and social care demand from the ageing population and the current workforce capacity. The proposed study will use demand-led simulation modelling of the workforce required to address the specific challenge of providing health and social care for the growing numbers of older people living with frailty.
Detailed description
Research Question: What is the present, and expected, size and composition of the health and social care workforce required to provide care for the frail older population? Background: As the population ages, robust workforce planning to meet future demands for health and social care by older people is needed. A lack of evidence in this area has led to a mis-match between the health and social care demand from the ageing population and the current workforce capacity. The proposed study will use demand-led simulation modelling of the workforce required to address the specific challenge of providing health and social care for the growing numbers of older people living with frailty.
Aims \& Objectives: The aim of the study is to use simulation modelling to explore long-term trends in frailty-related health and social care use in the ageing population and its implications for future workforce size and competencies to support high quality care. The primary objective of this study is the creation of a simulation model that will inform service and workforce planning to meet health and social care needs associated with frailty.
Methods: The study will use a System Dynamics design to develop and test the simulation model.
Work packages comprise a scoping review, gathering of public and professional perspectives on service provision via a survey and stakeholder engagement activities, and analysis of linked health and social care data, all of which inform the simulation modelling work package and development of a workforce planning toolkit.
Timelines for delivery: The scoping review will be completed in year 1. Routine health and social care data specification and extraction will occur in year 1, as will service mapping and classification and survey preparation. Survey data collection and analysis will occur in year 2. Simulation modelling will commence in year 2, with validation, sensitivity analyses and scenario modelling in year 3.
Development of workforce guidelines and toolkit will occur in year 3 Stakeholder engagement, including patient public involvement, will run throughout the study, reviewing study results and informing development of the other work packages.
Anticipated impact \& dissemination: This study will provide new, direct evidence about the impact of frailty on health and social care workforce requirements within the ageing population The improved understanding of workforce requirements offered by this study will inform workforce planning for frailty services across health and social care, ensuring future benefit for patients through provision of timely and appropriate care and a workforce planning toolkit to support local decision-making.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Frailty in Older people | – | –Older people, 50 and above. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Adults age 50 and above
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Age below 50yrs
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Service use (for cohort analysis)
Time frame: 2015-2022
Use of primary, secondary, community, health and social care services
1 secondary outcome
Workforce provision of services to Adults living with Frailty
Time frame: 2015-2022
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 May 2025.
- Funder websiteLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Data dictionary; variables; types of data
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Bronagh M Walsh/Professor, PhD principal investigator
University of Southampton
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Frailty in Aging and Older People, run by University of Southampton at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 0 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Service use (for cohort analysis) (time frame: 2015-2022). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 May 2025.