ORCHID Annual Report 2023 - Flipbook - Page 34
Research questions
• What outcomes do staff, parents and children and young people identify as
important to measure the impact of NIV use?
•What metrics should be used to measure these outcomes?
families of children with an intellectual disability referred to specialist NHS
mental health services. The study was a collaboration between Tavistock &
Portman NHS Trust and UCL, lead by Professor Vaso Totsika and ran from
August 2022 until the end of 2024.
Digital Profile:
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3194-412X
Digital Profile:
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6064-6493
Dr Charmaine Kohn
PhD, BA(Hons), MBACP
Research Fellow
Study Title: Optimising Paediatric Transition to Intensive Care for AduLts
(The OPTICAL study)
November 2023 – July 2026
Current post:
Dr Charmaine Kohn joined the ORCHID research team in September 2024 as
a Research Fellow on the OPTICAL study. In her current role, she leads the
qualitative work package 2 (WP2) work stream, collaborating closely with
Professor Jo Wray, the designated WP2 lead. The OPTICAL study is a mixedmethods study aiming to address a critical gap in healthcare transitions for
teenagers and young adults (TYA) with chronic and complex conditions who
move from paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) to adult intensive care units
(AICUs). Currently, there is limited evidence-based guidance for improving ICU
transitions, leaving many healthcare teams, young people, and families
unprepared for the changes in care environments, policies, and support
systems. The OPTICAL study aims to fill this gap by providing
robust quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform national policy and
practice, improving both clinical outcomes and patient/family experiences.
Specifically, WP2 is a qualitative and mixed-methods study designed to
provide a detailed, first-hand perspective on how transition is experienced by
TYA, families and healthcare professionals through semi-structured interviews,
online forums, and a national survey.
Recent work:
Prior to joining ORCHID, Charmaine served as the Trial Manager and
Qualitative Lead for the VIG-LD trial – a feasibility randomised controlled trial
investigating the efficacy of remotely delivered Video Interaction Guidance for
Peer Reviewed Publications
Kohn C, Turner L, Yang Z, Absoud M, Casbard A, Gomes M, Grant G,
Hassiotis A, Kennedy E, Levitt S, McNamara R, Randell E, Totsika V. (2024)
Remotely Delivered Video Interaction Guidance for Families of Children With
an Intellectual Disability Referred to Specialist Mental Health Services:
Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research
Protocols, 13, e54619. doi:10.2196/54619
Totsika V, Yang Z, Turner L, Kohn C, Hassiotis A, Kennedy E, Absoud M,
McNamara R, Randell E, Levitt S, Grant G, Casbard A, Jacobs L, Di Santo C,
Buckley C, Hignett E, Liew A. (2024) Mapping the pathway and support offered
to children with an intellectual disability referred to specialist mental health
services in the UK. BJPsych Bulletin, 1–6. doi:10.1192/bjb.2024.63
