Obstacles and Bridges:

This project is anticipated as a mixed-methods approach.

Literature Review: A systematic, realist or scoping review of existing literature on consent in manual therapy and related fields will be conducted to identify current knowledge gaps and inform the research design.

Qualitative Study: Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with manual therapy practitioners and patients to explore their experiences and perceptions of the consent process. Thematic analysis will be used to identify key themes and insights. Observed and recorded consultations may also be considered as an opportunity to analyse practice and deploy analysis approaches such as discourse and conversation analyses.

Quantitative Study: A survey will be developed based on the findings from the qualitative study and distributed to a larger sample of manual therapy practitioners and patients. Statistical analysis will be used to quantify the prevalence of identified perceptions, behaviours and assess the relationships between different variables.

Outcomes of this project include a detailed understanding of how consent is obtained and understood in manual therapy interactions, identification of obstacles to effective consent, and development of strategies to improve consent practices. The research will be used to inform training programs for manual therapists. Additionally, the findings will be disseminated through academic publications, conference presentations, and workshops to reach researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

Limited number of studies have explored the possible strategies in ensuring adequate provision of nutrition and physical activity intervention over a period of time which can be influenced by physiological changes. Nevertheless, barriers and challenges in obtaining optimum nutrition and physical activity among ICU survivors remain unclear. Important outcomes include nutritional intake, muscle mass and quality of life. Patient selection of those most likely to benefit from nutritional and physical activity interventions in the post-ICU phase merits specific attention.

This doctoral project has the potential to significantly impact the field of manual therapy by understanding and improving consent practices. By providing a richer understanding of the consent process and identifying strategies to overcome obstacles, the research will contribute to the development of more effective and ethical clinical practice which will support practitioners and address regulatory concerns. Ultimately, this project will contribute to the advancement and promotion of a more patient-centred approach to care.