Welcome to the PEP-TALK Trial website. This website is designed for patients who are interested in being part of the PEP-TALK trial. It also provides important information for physiotherapists and health professionals who are involved in the study.
The PEP-TALK Trial is testing a new treatment to help people become more physically active after a hip or knee replacement. The study is funded by the NHS’s National Institute for Health Research.
We are testing two different types of physiotherapy treatment which are provided to people after a hip or knee replacement. Two thirds of the patients involved in the trial will receive the normal rehabilitation after hip or knee replacement which is attendance to 6 exercise group sessions provided weekly up to 4 weeks after the operation. The other half of patients involved in the trial will receive this PLUS 6, 30-minute group discussion, where patients will be supported to talk about what helps or hinders them being more physically active and to work out ways which may help them become more active in their recovery.
We aimed to recruit 260-300 men and women from across the UK who have received a hip or knee replacement. To see which hospitals are collaborating on PEP-TALK, please click here.
COVID-19 Statement
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PEP-TALK Trial participating hospitals are no longer able to provide the group-based physiotherapy sessions, which are an integral component of the Trial. As a result, an amendment has been approved to halt recruitment below the 260 target at the current total of 230 participants. The Trial will still be contacting all participants at the anticipated 6- and 12-month data collection timepoints and will be reporting the results of the Trial as expected.
We hope that you find the information you are looking for here on the website. If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch with the PEP-TALK Team using the online contact us form or email the trial.
PEP-TALK trial has closed. Thank you to all participants and site staff who supported the trial.
The results can be found here.
The PEP-TALK Trial is investigating whether a new approach to help people be more physically active after a hip or knee replacement works. We aim to recruit at least 260 men and women from across England who have recently had a hip or knee replacement. For more information about the trial and what’s involved, click here.
The PEP-TALK Team are working with a number of physiotherapy teams in the NHS from across England. For more information about the trial, specifically for clinicians, and how you may get involved, click here.
23 July 2021: PEP-TALK Statistical Analysis Plan published in Trials - Click here to view the SAP paper
23 September 2020: PEP-TALK receives approval to halt recruitment at 230 participants due to COVID-19 restriction - Full COVID statement can be found here
20 July 2020: PEP-TALK Protocol Paper published in BMJ Open - Click here to view the Protocol paper
28 February 2020: University Hospital Lewisham randomise their 50th PEP-TALK Participant
18 February 2020: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital randomise the 200th PEP-TALK participant
04 February 2020: Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust randomise their first participant
12 December 2019: Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust opens to recruitment. They will be working in collaboration with St George's Hospital with Epsom recruiting and St George's deliving the rehabilitation sessions.
28 November 2019: Sunderland Royal Hospital randomise their 50th PEP-TALK participant
26 November 2019: North Middlesex University Hospital randomise their first participant
14 November 2019: Royal London randomise their first participant
15 October 2019: Royal London Hospital opens to recruitment
14 October 2019: Sunderland Royal Hospital randomise the 100th PEP-TALK participant
14 October 2019: North Middlesex Univeristy Hospital NHS Trust opens to recruitment
19 September 2019: Congratulations to Spire Norwich Hospital for randomising their first PEP-TALK recruit
01 August 2019: Congratulations to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre for randomising their first PEP-TALK recruit
22 July 2019: Spire Norwich Hospital opens to recruitment
24 June 2019: Congratulations to Sunderland Royal Hospital for randomising their first PEP-TALK recruit and it is the 20th PEP-TALK randomisation.
18 June 2019: Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre opens to recruitment
04 June 2019: Sunderland Royal Hospital opens to recruitment
08 May 2019: First PEP-TALK intervention session held at Norfolk & Norwich Hospital
01 May 2019: Congratulations to University Hospital Lewisham for randomising their first PEP-TALK recruit
12 April 2019: PEP-TALK recruits the first participant. Congratulations to the team at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
For all previous news items, please see the PEP-TALK News Archive
