Long, complex patient information leaflets (PILs) can stop people with lower English language literacy from taking part in clinical trials. The MAPLE project, led by the University of Bristol in collaboration with National Voices, set out to tackle this barrier. It promotes accessible PILs as part of the layered approach to information provision recommended by the Health Research Authority.
The team had already co-developed a framework of recommendations for accessible PILs. Knowing that guidance alone rarely changes practice, they have now turned it into practical tools. These were co-developed through 19 workshops with more than 150 people, including members of racially marginalised communities, adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, adults with physical and mental health conditions, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
The free resources include:
- A modifiable accessible PIL that trial teams can download and adapt offline for their own trial
- A collection of guides to support adapting the PIL
- Example images and image guidance for each section of the PIL
For trialists, MAPLE offers a ready-made route to more inclusive recruitment, starting with the very first document a potential participant reads.
Read more on MAPLE here.
