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Article History

Received: 22 May 2019

Accepted: 30 December 2019

First Online: 9 January 2020

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: This project was designed as a service improvement project and as such did not need ethical approval as per national guidelines and internal policy within Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Following consultation with the chair of a local NHS Research Ethics Committee it was agreed that this was a service development and service evaluation project which did not require ethical approval under the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social care Research. The main driver of this project was clinical need and the intention was to improve services. Ethical oversight was provided by a project steering group and the Research and Development Department within Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. As this was a service improvement project, it was not necessary for participants to give written consent. However, as the steering group believed it was good practice to obtain written consent, each individual participant in the project where informed about the service improvement and gave their written consent and remained on their usual treatment pathway.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.