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Adwoa Parker, Catherine Arundel, Laura Clark, Elizabeth Coleman, Laura Doherty, Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt, David Beard, Peter Bower, Cindy Cooper, Lucy Culliford, Declan Devane, Richard Emsley, Sandra Eldridge, Sandra Galvin, Katie Gillies, Alan Montgomery, Christopher J Sutton, Shaun Treweek & David J Torgerson.

Adwoa Parker ¹, Catherine Arundel ¹, Laura Clark ¹, Elizabeth Coleman ¹, Laura Doherty ¹, Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt ¹, David Beard ², Peter Bower ³, Cindy Cooper ⁴, Lucy Culliford ⁵, Declan Devane ^6,7, Richard Emsley ⁸, Sandra Eldridge ⁹, Sandra Galvin ^6,7, Katie Gillies ¹⁰, Alan Montgomery ¹¹, Christopher J Sutton ¹², Shaun Treweek ¹⁰, David J Torgerson ^1,*

¹ York Trials Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
² Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Science, NIHR Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
³ National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
⁴ School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
⁵ Bristol Trials Centre, Clinical Trials and Evaluation Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, UK
⁶ School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
⁷ Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Research Network, Galway, Republic of Ireland
⁸ Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
⁹ Institute of Population Health Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
¹⁰ Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Foresthill, UK
¹¹ University of Nottingham, Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, University Park Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK
¹² School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
^* Corresponding author Email: david.torgerson@york.ac.uk

Disclosure of interests of authors

Full disclosure of interests: Completed ICMJE forms for all authors, including all related interests, are available in the toolkit on the NIHR Journals Library report publication page at https://doi.org/10.3310/HTQW3107.

Primary conflicts of interest: Adwoa Parker holds a NIHR Advanced Fellowship (NIHR302256), received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1), is a co-applicant on a NIHRHTA-funded trial (ACTIVE, Award ID: 15/130/84) that was funded by PROMETHEUS, received funding from the Wellcome Trust, through the Centre for Future Health (CFH) at the University of York to developing a training intervention for staff to improve participant recruitment into randomised controlled trials, received funding through an institutional award from a NIHR CTU Infrastructure award (NIHR132547), is Editor for the special SWAT edition for the Journal Research Methods in Medicine and Health Sciences and is a SWAT Collection Advisor for F1000Research, and is supervising a PhD Studentship (2021–4) titled ‘The cost effectiveness of SWATs for improving recruitment and retention in RCTs’.

Catherine Arundel received funding from two NIHRHTA grants as a co-applicant (PROFHER-2, award ID 16/73/03; and SWHSI-2, award ID 17/42/94) – both of which received PROMETHEUS funding, received a salary through institutional funding from the MRC and NIHR for the PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1), received funding through an institutional award for the DISC trial (NIHRHTA award ID 15/102/04) – which received PROMETHEUS funding, and received funding through an institutional award from a NIHR CTU Infrastructure award (NIHR132547).

Laura Clark received a salary through institutional funding from the MRC and NIHR for the PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1) and received funding through an institutional award from a NIHR CTU Infrastructure award (NIHR132547).

Elizabeth Coleman received a salary through institutional funding from the MRC and NIHR for the PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1).

Laura Doherty received a salary through institutional funding from the MRC and NIHR for the PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1) and received funding through an institutional award from a NIHR CTU Infrastructure award (NIHR132547).

Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1), and has also been the recipient of a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: HTA-133865, HTA – 16/111/91, HTA – 132718, HTA – 17/94/36, HTA – 17/76/06, RfPB – PB-PG-0317-20047, HTA – 131483, RfPD – 201176, RfPB – PB-PG-0418-20034, HTA – 15/154/07, HTA – 131784, HTA – 135304, PHR – 16/122/20, HTA – 15/102/04, PHR – 15/05/28, HSDR – 15/70/26, PGfAR – 201174, HTA – 15/130/84, HTA – 16/167/57, HTA – 16/73/03, HTA – 127739, HTA – 11/36/37, PHR – 14/186/11, HTA – 132808, HTA – 127467, HTA – 15/166/08, HTA – 128625, HTA – 133880, HTA – 17/42/94, HTA – 11/136/52, PGfAR – RP-PG– 1214-20017, HSDR – 129213, HTA – 133784, PGfAR – RP-PG-0216-20002, HTA – 14/49/149, PGfAR – RP-PG-1016-20003, PHR – 128341, HTA – 131805, PGfAR -200607, HTA – 133418, HTA – 127510, RIGHT – 200806, PGfAR – RP-PG-0217-20006, HTA – 13/26/01. She is a member of the NIHRHTA Commissioning Committee (2015 to present) and Deputy Chair (2019 to present). Prof Hewitt has also been a member of the HTA Commissioning Sub-Board (2016–17) and is a current member of the following committees: NIHR CTU Standing Advisory Committee (2020–4); HTA Post-Funding Committee (2020–3); HTA Funding Committee Policy Group (2020–3).

David Beard holds a NIHR Senior Investigator award, has received a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: HSDR – 131537, HTA – 14/140/63, HTA – 129830, HTA – 127807 RfPB – PB-PG-1215-20041 RfPB – PB-PG-0215-36084, HTA – 134398, HTA – 12/196/08, HTA – 131629, HTA – 15/80/40, HTA – 135260, HTA – 15/103/03, HTA – 15/39/06, HTA – 128043, PGfAR – RP-PG-0615-20002. Prof Beard also received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1) and is a member of the NIHRHTA Commissioning Committee (2020 to present).

Peter Bower holds a NIHR Senior Investigator award, along with a range of other NIHR funding, award IDs: HSDR – 12/130/33, PRP – 201428, RfPB – PB-PG-0416-20033, RfPB – PB-PG-0816-20035, PGfAR – RP-PG-1016-20010, HSDR – 17/09/08, HSDR – 13/54/34, HSDR – 14/21/21 HTA – 16/84/01 PRP – 200933, HSDR – 151666, HSDR – 12/130/15, HSDR – 134436 HTA – 14/29/01 PDG – 202044, HSDR – 16/48/07, PGfAR – RP-PG-0216-20003, HSDR – 14/156/16, PGfAR – 202030, PGfAR – RP-PG-1210-12007, PGfAR – RP-PG-1214-20003, GHRG – 134638. Prof Bower also received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1).

Cindy Cooper received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1), and has also been the recipient of a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: CTU – 135424, CTU- 132546, CTU- 129761, CTU- 130354, CTU-34 (Infrastructure award), CTU- 129671, CTU- 129743, CTU- 129762, CTU- 135420, CTU- 135458, HTA – 12/21/01, RfPB – PB-PG-0817-20027, HTA – 09/06/01, EME – 133169, HTA – 13/14/01, HTA – 15/08/40, PDG – 202607, HTA – 14/140/80, HSDR – 14/140/80, Undefined stream – 127963, PDG – RP-DG-0615-10008, HTA – 16/81/01, PHR – 15/49/32, HTA – 15/38/04, HTA – 17/16/04, PGfAR – 201618, HTA – 15/35/03 PGfAR – RP-PG-1016-20006. She is a member of the NIHR CTU Standing Advisory Committee (2016–23).

Lucy Culliford received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1), and has also been the recipient of a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: EME – 134140 PRP – 203243, RfPB – 201483, RfPB – PB-PG-0418-20029, HTA – 127849, EME – 15/180/55, HTA – 133554, EME – 13/94/15, HTA – 131850, HTA – 127457, HTA – 16/24/09, HTA – 15/101/16, HTA – 16/142/04, EME – 17/145/40, HTA – 16/140/07.

Declan Devane is the Scientific Director of the Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN). The HRB-TMRN is funded by the Health Research Board and its brief includes the funding of SWATs. He is a co-applicant on NIHR funded projects: HSDR – 150979, HTA – (17/148/07). He is a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1) and participates in a number of Data Safety Monitoring Boards and Advisory Boards.

Richard Emsley has received a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: NIHR300051 NIHR300051, PB-PG 1014-35011 NIHR127755, NIHR130971, 15/187/05, RP-PG-0216-20009, PB-PG-0613-31113, 17/80/09, 15/48/21, 16/111/51, 12/3000/40, NIHR128623, NIHR131175, 13/119/18, NIHR200605, NIHR129926, 16/101/02, NIHR131125, NIHR134702, 15/178/09, 14/29/01, RP-PG-0218-20006, RP-PG-1016-20010, 14/197/65, 15/31/04, NIHR132690, 14/68/08. Prof Emsley is a member of the NIHRHTA Clinical Evaluation and Trials Committee (2018–21), a member of the NIHR Clinical Trials Unit Standing Advisory Committee (2020–3), a member of the NIHR Strategy Board (2022) and is a NIHR Research Professor (2019–24).

Sandra Eldridge has received a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: CTU-32 (infrastructure award), CTU – 135421, CTU – 129741, PGfAR – RP-PG-0610-10097, HTA – 08/14/41, PGfAR – 202037, PGfAR – RP-PG-0611-20002, PGfAR – RP-PG-0615-20009, PGfAR – RP-PG-1212-20018, PHR – 16/139/01, RIGHT – 200824, PHR – 127793, PGfAR – RP-PG-0609-10181, PGfAR – RP-PG-0617-20004, PGfAR – RP-PG-1016-20008, PGfAR – RP-PG-0612-20001, PGfAR – RP-PG-1209-10038, PGfAR – RP-PG-0218-20001, GHR – 133850. Prof Eldridge is a member of the NIHR CTU Standing Advisory Committee, has been a member of the HTA Clinical Evaluation and Trials Committee (2014–8).

Sandra Galvin is the National Programme Manager of the Health Research Board – Trials Methodology Research Network Ireland, employed under funding grant HRB-TMRN-2021-001, which funds SWAT research, is a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1), and is a SWAT Collection Advisor for F1000Research.

Katie Gillies has been the recipient of a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: HTA – 129248, RfPB – PB-PG-0416-20033, HTA – 132999, HTA – 14/192/71, HTA – 133561, HTA – 17/68/01, HTA – 130310, HTA – 127280, HSDR – 131537. Dr Gillies is a member of the NIHRHTA Clinical Evaluation and Trials Committee.

Alan Montgomery received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1). He has been the recipient of a range of NIHR and MRC funding, award IDs: CTU – 132545, CTU – 135422, CTU-26, RfPB – PB-PG-0613-31083, RfPB – PB-PG-1217-20026, HTA – 12/190/05 EME – 11/47/03 RfPB – PB-PG-0817-20005, HTA – 15/110/02, HTA – 132711, HTA – 10/57/24, HTA – 129210, HTA – 127393, HTA – 127292, HTA – 131159, HTA – 16/96/09, HTA – 132016 EME – 128240 PGfAR – 203279, HTA – 12/24/02, HTA – 129515, PRP – 015/0309, PDG – RP-DG-0615-10005, HTA – 129917, HTA – 12/127/10, HTA – 17/94/31, HTA – 131440, COVID-19 – 133443, MRC – MR/K025643/1, MRC – MR/V020803/1. Prof Montgomery is an independent member of Trial Steering/Data Monitoring Committees for various NIHR-funded studies. He was a member of the HTA Clinical Evaluation and Trials Committee (2015–21).

Christopher J Sutton has received institutional funding from the MRC and NIHR for the PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1). He has also been the recipient of a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: HSDR – 130581, RfPB – 201093, RfPB – 203475, HTA – 16/111/31, RfPB – PB-PG-0214-33010, RfPB – PB-PG-1216-20024, RfPB – 203468, RfPB – 203507, HTA – 131483, PDG – 202044, HSDR – 14/04/16, EME – 132622, HTA – 133418. He is a member of the NIHRHTA Commissioning Committee (2020 to present).

Shaun Treweek received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being a co-applicant on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1). He has also been the recipient of NIHR and MRC funding, award IDs: PHR – 129791, HTA – 12/127/12, HTA – 15/130/73, MRC – MR/K025643/1. He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal ‘Trials’.

David J Torgerson received funding from the MRC and NIHR as part of being the Chief Investigator on this PROMETHEUS programme (MR/R013748/1). He has also been the recipient of a range of NIHR funding, award IDs: HTA – 14/49/149, PHR – 15/05/28, CTU-40 (infrastructure award), HTA – 127510, PHR – 128341, CTU – 132547, RfPB – 203506, PGfAR – RP-PG-0609-10171, HTA – 13/26/01, HTA – 15/166/08, PGfAR – RP-PG-0615-20003, HTA – 15/130/84, HTA – 15/154/07, RfPB – PB-PG-0416-20035, HTA – 16/73/03, PHR – 16/122/20, HTA – 16/167/56, HTA – 16/167/57, HTA – 17/42/94, HTA – 17/94/36, RfPB – PB-PG-0418-20034, HTA – 127739, HTA – 128625, HTA – 132718, PHR – 131745, HTA – 131805, HTA – 132674, RfPB – 202203. Prof Torgerson is an Editorial board member for the Journal Research Methods in Medicine and Health Sciences and is a SWAT Collection Advisor at F1000Research.