MicrobiologyNCT07392684
Optimisation of the Blood Culture Pathway Utilising Behaviour Change
An observational study of Microbiology and Blood Culture, run by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
Blood culture (BC) is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of bacteraemia, providing the opportunity to recover and identify the causative organism, and optimize subsequent antimicrobial treatment. Detection of bacteraemia is critical for the management of sepsis. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Microbiology, Blood Culture
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2025to 30 Sep 2026
- 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 Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Secondary data: adult blood culture sets received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024. Staff member participants: Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust
Who may be able to join
- Secondary data:
- adult blood culture sets received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024.
- Staff member participants
- Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust
Who cannot join
- Secondary data:
- paediatric blood culture samples
- samples where volume, collection and/or time to incubation data are not recorded on laboratory system and/or blood culture analyser
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 3NN
Amy Read, 0300 422 5077, amy.read3@nhs.net
Amy Read
About this study
Blood culture (BC) is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of bacteraemia, providing the opportunity to recover and identify the causative organism, and optimize subsequent antimicrobial treatment. Detection of bacteraemia is critical for the management of sepsis. This study aims to examine the performance of the blood culture pathway in Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust using data analysis, questionnaires and focus groups. . Information collected will be used to design interventions that could be used to optimise the blood culture pathway
Read the detailed description
Retrospective data collection relating to the blood volume collected and time to incubation of adult blood culture sets (adult sets comprises of both aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottle) received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024. These samples are routinely collected as standard of care and not for the purpose of this research.
Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust (nurses, Physician's associates and doctors) will be invited to volunteer for the study. Staff members will participate by completing the questionnaire and/or attending focus groups.
- Conditions
- Microbiology, Blood Culture
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Compliance to optimal blood culture (BC) vol (8-10 mls per bottle).
Volume of blood cultures measured in ml.
Measured: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.
Compliance to 4- hour time target to incubation of blood culture from collection.
Time taken from collection of blood culture to incubation in the laboratory, recorded in hours and minutes
Measured: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024
Time from collection of blood cultures to targeted antibiotics, hours and minutes
Measurement of time (hours, minutes) from time of blood culture collection to time of targeted antibiotic prescribing
Measured: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.
Staff experiences related to taking blood cultures
Staff experiences using questionnaires and focus group discussions exploring facilitators and barriers relating to blood culture collection . Staff members will participate by completing the questionnaire and/or attending focus groups.
Measured: Approximately 10 minutes to complete electronic questionnaire. Attendance at single FOCUS group at agreed time.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Feb 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2025
- Primary completion30 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for MicrobiologyStudies 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
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07392684
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 24/043/GHT
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 30 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Optimisation of the Blood Culture Pathway Utilising Behaviour Change
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07392684
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 24/043/GHT
- Conditions
- Microbiology, Blood Culture
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Feb 2026 (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.
Blood culture (BC) is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of bacteraemia, providing the opportunity to recover and identify the causative organism, and optimize subsequent antimicrobial treatment. Detection of bacteraemia is critical for the management of sepsis. This study aims to examine the performance of the blood culture pathway in Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust using data analysis, questionnaires and focus groups. . Information collected will be used to design interventions that could be used to optimise the blood culture pathway
Detailed description
Retrospective data collection relating to the blood volume collected and time to incubation of adult blood culture sets (adult sets comprises of both aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottle) received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024. These samples are routinely collected as standard of care and not for the purpose of this research.
Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust (nurses, Physician's associates and doctors) will be invited to volunteer for the study. Staff members will participate by completing the questionnaire and/or attending focus groups.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust | – | – |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Secondary data: adult blood culture sets received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024. Staff member participants: Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- adult blood culture sets received in the microbiology laboratory, between February 2023 and April 2024.
- Staff member participants
- Staff members that collect adult blood cultures within the Trust
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- paediatric blood culture samples
- samples where volume, collection and/or time to incubation data are not recorded on laboratory system and/or blood culture analyser
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
Compliance to optimal blood culture (BC) vol (8-10 mls per bottle).
Time frame: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.
Volume of blood cultures measured in ml.
Compliance to 4- hour time target to incubation of blood culture from collection.
Time frame: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024
Time taken from collection of blood culture to incubation in the laboratory, recorded in hours and minutes
Time from collection of blood cultures to targeted antibiotics, hours and minutes
Time frame: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.
Measurement of time (hours, minutes) from time of blood culture collection to time of targeted antibiotic prescribing
Staff experiences related to taking blood cultures
Time frame: Approximately 10 minutes to complete electronic questionnaire. Attendance at single FOCUS group at agreed time.
Staff experiences using questionnaires and focus group discussions exploring facilitators and barriers relating to blood culture collection . Staff members will participate by completing the questionnaire and/or attending focus groups.
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 6 Feb 2026.
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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.
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 Microbiology and Blood Culture, run by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 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 4 inclusion and 3 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Feb 2026. 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?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Compliance to optimal blood culture (BC) vol (8-10 mls per bottle). (time frame: Retrospective data collection from period February 2023 to April 2024.). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. 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 6 Feb 2026.