Exploration of the impact of consumer values for health care provision
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A case study exploration of the impact of consumer values for health care provision in Minor Injuries Units.
IRAS ID
101034
Contact name
David Sturgeon
Contact email
Research summary
This study will consider why people choose to access Minor Injury Units (MIU) as opposed to other forms of frontline care (e.g. General Practitioner) and whether they contribute knowledge or challenge opinion during their consultation/patient journey. This will help to evaluate whether the introduction of market reforms to the National Health Service (NHS) since the 1980’s has changed the way in which people access health care services, interact with health care professionals and view themselves in relation to health care services. The study is of relevance to the public since it evaluates service user experience and explores co-production of healthcare. This will provide insight into the service user/provider relationship, contribute to policy development in the future and help to inform the professional education of nurses and other health care practitioners. The research will be conducted at two NHS nurse-led MIUs in East Kent. A case study approach will be used and adult service users and NHS staff will be eligible to participate. Data collection will take place over six months but typically only one day a week. The study will involve document analysis, participant observation at the MIU’s and semi-structured interviews with service users, staff and a small number of senior staff/managers. The researcher will use a licence to operate (honorary contract provided by the NHS Trust) in order to work alongside MIU staff. The data collection strands from each case will be coded and manually analysed for recurrent or discrete issues and themes. The data from each case will be triangulated to clarify meaning and verify the repeatability of an observation or interpretation. The two cases will then be compared and tested against one another.
REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0908
Date of REC Opinion
7 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion