IMPACT (evaluatIon Methods Primary cAre ocCupational Therapy) V 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation methods used to assess the impact of primary care general practice based occupational therapy services within the context of value-based healthcare: a mixed methods study.
IRAS ID
342593
Contact name
Catherine Purcell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 30 days
Research summary
Covid-19 has increased the need to manage health differently within services already under pressure due to people living longer. To improve care in primary care, services supporting people in their homes now include a wider range of professions. Occupational therapy support people using primary care services to participate in everyday activities that are important to them. Research suggests an increasing presence of occupational therapy in primary care, however an understanding of the benefit of this remains unclear. There is a lack of research which shows how occupational therapists are measuring the results of the services they offer in General Practice. In addition, the impact of the profession within Government ambitions to ensure health services offer good value to the people it supports are also unknown. Primary care has been identified as an important area for occupational therapy research. Without an understanding of how the results of an occupational therapist working with someone can be best measured, the value and benefit of services provided in General Practice may be difficult to show. This has implications for the development of the profession importantly at a time where keeping people well is becoming harder. This may result in some individuals not being able to get occupational therapy support that could be of benefit to them. The aim of this study therefore is to conduct a review of the methods being used in Wales to measure the occupational therapy services being provided within General Practice, to inform how services are offered in the future. This research will include a series of online interviews with 2 groups of people: those involved in planning primary care services and with people who have used occupational therapy services in General Practice within Wales. A questionnaire will then be sent to occupational therapy staff and students working in Wales.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NE/0141
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion