Richard Francis
Papers
4
Total Citations
554
H-Index
4
About
Richard Francis is a leading clinical researcher in stroke rehabilitation, with a primary focus on restoring upper limb function after neurological injury. His landmark contribution is the RATULS (Robot Assisted Training for the Upper Limb after Stroke) programme, a multicentre randomised controlled trial that rigorously compared robot-assisted training using the MIT-Manus robotic gym against an enhanced upper limb therapy (EULT) programme and usual care. The main trial, published in 2019 and cited over 477 times, is a seminal work that provides definitive evidence on the clinical effectiveness of robotic rehabilitation. Francis’s research extends beyond efficacy to include comprehensive economic evaluations, demonstrating that robot-assisted training is not cost-effective compared to EULT or usual care—a finding with major implications for NHS resource allocation. He has also published detailed analyses of intervention fidelity and goal achievement within the EULT programme, ensuring that trial results are robust and reproducible. Through the RATULS trial, Francis has set a new standard for evaluating complex rehabilitation interventions, directly informing clinical guidelines and shaping the future of stroke rehabilitation research.
Research Focus
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