Recruitment methods to SHARE
| Recruitment method | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Face-to-face recruitment in OPD and GP | High sign-up rate (around 90% of those approached agree to join), improves visibility of research within the NHS | Labour intensive, recruiter dependent |
| Letters included with OPD appointments | Return rate 10%. Where accompanied by personal letter from consultant, it rises to 17%. | Relies on goodwill of appointments staff. Time of NHS admin staff, until now, has been given free but cost may be a consideration in the longer term |
| Direct email from institution lead | Low cost, quick sign-up, most of whom have viable email addresses which facilitates future contacts. Around 10% sign up. | Can only really be performed infrequently. Most larger organisations prefer to advertise SHARE in internal staff news magazines, but this diminishes impact. |
| Advertising on Radio Buses Parking tickets Newspapers | Wide audience reach. Advertisements may raise awareness which improves uptake when participants are approached face to face. | Expensive and not clear to what extent it contributes to overall participation. |
| Facebook advertisements | Targets a younger audience than that of OPD clinics | Large numbers of website clicks but relatively few sign-ups |
GP, general practitioner; OPD, outpatient department; NHS, National Health Service.