However, to date there have been no large RCTs of the
classes and NICE has identified a need for such studies
with a health economic component to be completed. We
have, therefore, recently undertaken a pilot RCT using the
same design as the current application. This has allowed us
to test and be confident of our recruitment process, establish
power and test the delivery of the intervention
and research. In a previous pilot in Glasgow and Northern
Ireland (with course delivery by the charities AOD and
AWARE), we successfully screened and randomized 53
participants using the same planned recruitment strategy.
Mean differences at the primary follow-up point (3 months)
have informed our power calculation (see below).