Table 1 RCT characteristics
| Â | Clinical context | RCT type | Clinical centres (n) | Target recruitment figure (n) | Specialties involved | Intervention arms | Trial-specific recruitment pathway challenge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T1 | Cancer treatment | Main | 71 | 345 | Surgery, oncology | Chemotherapy; surveillance (2) | Pre-trial treatment. Recruitment across surgery/ oncology. Alternative care pathway for trial. Multiple tests/ delays determining eligibility. |
T2 | Orthopaedics | Main | 14 | 300 | Surgery | Surgery; placebo surgery; active monitoring (3) | Patients referred from GPs for treatment X. |
T3 | Cancer | Feasibility | 35 | 313 | Surgery, oncology | Chemotherapy; test-directed chemotherapy (2) | Pre-trial treatment. Recruitment across surgery/ oncology. |
T4 | Cancer | Pilot | 2 | 36 | Surgery | Open surgery; minimally invasive surgery (2) | Pre-trial treatment. Recruitment across surgery/ oncology. Multiple tests/ delays determining eligibility. |
T5 | Vascular surgery/ interventional radiology | Main | 18 (UK) | 500–600 (UK) 3600 internationally | Surgery | Surgery; stenting (2) | Alternative care pathway for trial. |
T6 | Bariatric surgery | Internal pilot phase of a main RCT | 2 | 89 | Surgery | Banding; bypass surgery (2) | Multiple tests/delays determining eligibility. |
T7 | Cancer | Feasibility | 2 | Not set | Surgery, oncology | Surgery; radiotherapy (2) | Recruitment across surgery/ oncology. Alternative care pathway for trial. |
T8 | Cancer | Feasibility | 5 | 50 | Surgery | Radical surgery; partial surgery (2) | Multiple tests/ delays determining eligibility. |