To Investigate the Feasibility and Acceptability of Trained Non-medical Professionals Performing Laser Treatment for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR), and the Potential Impact on Service Capacity. Assess Feasibility of Conducting a Full Trial Comparing Trained ECPs With Ophthalmologists (Avenue-PDR)

Trained non-medical professionals (eye care practitioners (ECPs)) performing laser treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and the potential impact on service capacity

Trained non-medical professionals (eye care practitioners (ECPs)) performing laser treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and the potential impact on service capacity

Feasibility will be assessed using pre-specified progression criteria relating to:

ECP participation and training completion, participant recruitment, follow-up completion, intervention compliance and retention of clinical equipoise. We will use Red, Amber, Green criteria to determine whether a larger scale trial can be done

to provide an estimate of the consent rates and retention rates by counting the number of patients screened and approached and how many consented. Of those, we will determine how many remained for the full 6 months and if patients withdrew or were lost to follow up we will determine when this occured and, where possible, why

to assess how well data is collected and how accurate it is by conducting a data cleasning exercise in the database to identify which data are missing and any outliers suggesting data is inaccurate

to evalaute whether it is feasible for trained ECPs to deliver the treatment and whether patients accept them. this will include assessing (usign RAG criteria) whether ECPs agree to take part

to assess whether patients consent and remain in the trial and whether stakeholders can adhere to the protocol

we will determine how will various clinical data items are collected in terms of availability and accuracy to determine whether they are suitable for a larger scale study which may use one as the basis for a sample size calculation. Data include number of laser sessions, visual acuity, central retinal thickness, sight loss/retention and various patient questionnaires

to determine whether participants complete the questionnaires provided and which questions are missed out / incorrecty completed. We will run missing data reports on the questionnaires to track patterns relating to problematic questions and identify outliers which may be incorrect data

to collect data related to recourse use and other cost drivers associated with the novel treatment pathway using ECPs to determine whether there are cost savings to be made in using ECPs to deliver laser treatment