General Perceptions of Non-Doctor Primary Care Consultations (DR WHO)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
General Perceptions of Non-Doctor Primary Care Consultations (DR WHO)
IRAS ID
286438
Contact name
Austen El-Osta
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
General practice is at the heart of primary care services but is facing increasing shortages of health care providers and are requiring healthcare staff to take on a more diverse range of tasks. The UK is estimated to need 6000 more general practitioners (GPs) than what the NHS currently employs to meet rising demand.
One of the proposed solutions to the GP shortage is the increased adoption of alternative providers of primary care in which non-doctor health care professionals, such as advanced nurse practitioners, pharmacists and physiotherapists, take on a more active role in the provision of primary care.
A large systematic review found that there were few differences in the quality of primary care provided by advanced nurse practitioners compared to physicians, and that in some measures advanced nurse practitioners showed superior performance when compared to physicians. Another systematic review found that non-medical prescribing was widely accepted and viewed positively by both patients and professionals.
The restructuring of primary care services in the UK has primarily occurred due to staff shortages, and because alternative providers of primary care are qualified and certified to provide primary care services. However, patient perceptions of these changes have not been fully explored.
This study seeks to answer the following research question: what is the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of NHS patients & NHS staff about the incorporation of non-doctor consultations in primary care? We will do this by investigating the differences in knowledge, attitude and perceptions (KAP) between patients who receive primary care consultations at regular GP-led practices compared to patients who receive non-doctor primary care consultations non-doctor (GP)led practices. We will also aim to interview NHS patients and NHS staff from each study cohort to gather contextual qualitative data.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/SC/0087
Date of REC Opinion
25 Mar 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion