What is the purpose of the study?
The CELLOS Study aims to improve the quality and consistency of research on children’s elective lower limb orthopaedic surgeries by developing a core outcome set—an agreed list of the most important outcomes to measure. These outcomes will be selected by healthcare professionals, researchers, patients, and families, ensuring they are relevant to all stakeholders and reflect what truly matters in recovery and care. By promoting consistent use of these outcomes across future studies, the CELLOS Study will make it easier to synthesise evidence and inform surgical decision-making with more meaningful and comparable results.
What is the procedure for completing the survey?
Participants complete an online Delphi survey, which involves rating the importance of different outcomes, suggesting any additional outcomes, and responding to up to two follow-up rounds until consensus is reached. Each round takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete, and there may be up to three rounds in total.
How will anonymity of data be ensured?
Survey responses are anonymised when downloaded from the secure online platform. Identifiable information is stored separately on a secure, password-protected University of Oxford network drive and will be deleted shortly after the study concludes. Any quotes used in reporting will be pseudonymised and all identifiers removed.
What is the deadline for completion/closure of the survey?
The first round of the Delphi survey is currently open, with plans for up to two rounds to follow. The survey will close by June 2025, but we recommend participation as soon as possible.
More information can be found here.
To participate in the study please follow this link.