Co-design of a patient and family-initiated escalation of care intervention to detect and refer patient deterioration: Research protocol.

There is an ongoing need to introduce systems or mechanisms in acute care hospital settings which allow patient or family members to have a greater role in escalating care when they are concerned about patient deterioration. To date there is limited evidence of rigorous studies examining this area and this study will use stakeholder engagement and involvement to co-design an intervention which will provide patients and families with a mechanism to address concerns which can be tested in practice.