London cyclists needed to help with medical charity’s major research project on cycling injuries

A medical charity linked to the hospital that is home to London’s air ambulance and where more than 100 cyclists seriously injured in the capital are treated each year is holding a public meeting next week as part of its research into cycling injuries – and it is calling on bike riders and businesses and organisations involved in cycling to attend to put their views across.

In April this year, Barts and the London Charity launched its Safe Cycling Appeal to raise £650,000 for research into the causes of injuries to cyclists, which it said would help with the emergency treatment and rehabilitation of victims as well as giving insight into how to prevent collisions arising.

Next Tuesday 7 October, the charity is holding a public meeting at which it wants to hear first-hand from cyclists about what matters to them should they become injured while riding as a result of a road traffic collision.

The responses will help shape the direction of the Bespoke study currently being conducted by research teams of the Orthopaedic and Emergency Departments at the Royal London Hospital in partnership with Barts and the London Charity.

Broadcaster Jon Snow, president of national cyclists’ organisation CTC, chaired a seminar in January hosted by the charity and is urging people to get involved, saying: “The innovative Bespoke data project lead by researchers in London's biggest Emergency Department is key to unlocking data which is currently lacking from the debate about cycle safety in London. I urge all London cyclists to get involved!"

The charity says: “With any study it is important to decide on what data needs to be collected. The healthcare research team behind the Bespoke study are experienced in designing studies to collect data which can tell us about the severity of injury. However, what is important is that our study represents the outcomes that matter to those who are directly affected by the study: cyclists.

“We want London's cyclists, cycling communities, cycling clubs and cycling businesses to tell us what is important to them when they are injured. It might be the length of time taken to return to being pain free, or perhaps when they could cycle again. Cyclists might be interested in the length of time it took to return to cycling to work, or maybe the time it took to return to competitive/club cycling.

“Whatever is important to cyclists and is practical to collect, we want to collect. To do this we would like to put together two groups: one larger group which can be as big as necessary to enable cyclists and cycle related groups and organisations to feed into the study design; and a smaller group of 4 - 6 individuals who would like to represent London's cyclists and be involved in the oversight and development of the study, throughout the duration of the study.”

It adds that capacity at the venue is limited, so anyone wishing to attend should book a space as soon as possible. It also says that the Bespoke website will be updated after the event with information about it, including what the team has learnt.

You can register here for the event, which takes place from 6pm to 7.30pm next Tuesday 7 October at The Shield Café, Queen Mary University London on Charterhouse Square
Charterhouse Square London.