BEACON: BEAVRS case collection initiative
We have initiated a new structure for members to perform collaborative cases collections which we have called ‘BEACON’ (BEAVRS case collection initiative). We hope it will help members form their own projects.
The BEAVRS board will not control, endorse or lead any of the projects – it is for members to form their own ideas.
Download blank study outline form
The Initiative
Members can advertise for support and assistance in working up their ideas on the BEAVRS forum or by directly approaching other BEAVRS members – then they then submit the idea with relevant documentation (Project study outline form-see below) for other members to join in. This should be backed up with a forum post to advertise the study.
Members are responsible for their own research governance and also for submission of their own cases to the organising study team. It is particularly important that no identifying information is collected or transferred. It is also a principle of BEACON that only routinely collected clinical data is used- there are no study specific tests/documentation or procedures advised or to be recommended.
Once an idea has been fully worked up and a study outline form completed please send to: beavrs@beavrs.org so that it can be uploaded and added to the list of studies.
Current BEACON Projects
| Title | Project lead | Contact | Project Information | Project Forum Discussion | Project Downloads | |
| SCARCE Study | Scleral Rupture during Cryo-retinopex | Asterios Diafas | asterisdiafas@gmail.com | Information Guide | ||
| ORIS study | Outcomes of retinal detachment in sickle cell retinopathy | Nikos Dervenis | nikosdervenis@gmail.com | ORIS Guide | ||
| LARGO study | Management of large recalcitrant macular holes | Teresa Sandinha, Rob Henderson | sandinha@imapmail.org robert.henderson5@nhs.net |
LARGO Guide | ||
| OPTIMA | The use of “autologous or allogenic plugs” in vitrectomy for the surgical management optic disc pit maculopathy | Mariantonia Ferrara | mariantonia.ferrara@gmail.com | BEACON project OPTIMA | View the forum here | |
| BEACON_0 | Sample BEACON | Sample Proposer name | beavrs@beavrs.org | Sample Project | Sample BEACON Forum | |
| BEACON_1 | SHOE Study | Aman Chandra, Michael Mikhail | Contact SHOES | Secondary Macular Hole (SHOE) Study | SHOE Forum | |
| BEACON_2 | Scalpel Study | Noemi Lois | pmccullough17@qub.ac.uk | Spontaneous clearance of sub-macular perfluorocarbon liquid study | Scalpel Forum |
BEACON Key Principles
- To encourage and facilitate large scale collection of rare VR cases/situations/scenarios by BEAVRS members to add insight into aetiology, incidence, management, outcomes and complications/harms.
- Designed to be carried out with only routinely collected and fully anonymised data; no BEAVRS funding will be available for these studies.
- Unlike BOSU, incidence data is not possible on national level as collection is by opt in. However, softer local prevalence/incidence is possible and risk factor analysis would be also possible if control group data is also included and enough number of cases collected.
- Typically, this does not require ethics approval if only a surgeon’s personal cases are collected but local trust policies should be checked and followed (in most Trusts it will need to be approved as an audit).
- Studies to be led, performed and organised by BEAVRS members themselves
- Members create their own ideas – they can advertise for support and assistance in working up their ideas on the BEAVRS forum or by directly approaching other BEAVRS members – then they then submit the idea with relevant documentation and case collection forms (see below) for other members to join in. This should be backed up with a forum post to advertise the study.
- Members are responsible for their own research governance and also for submission of their own cases to the organising study team. BEAVRS will not assist in that process.
- If the study group wish, proposals will be reviewed by the BEAVRS Research group.
- It is envisaged that all contributors to the case collection should be named as authors on papers. Each project will have a management/writing group by agreement amongst themselves.
- We would recommend that the acronym BEAVRS or BEACON should be included in title as a study group ie BEAVRS study group
- Distinguishing features of BEACON to BOSU: Allows retrospective and prospective study design, free to initiate new projects, not national but could potentially be large if enough contributors, not capped by a limit on number of studies, not centrally organised, no identifiers collected and therefore less ethical concerns.
