Patient Centred Assessment Method Feasibility Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient Centred Assessment Method (PCAM): Improving nurse led biopsychosocial assessment of patients with long term conditions and co-morbid mental health needs.
IRAS ID
152230
Contact name
Margaret Maxwell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Stirling
Research summary
Recent approaches to assessing mental health problems in people with long term conditions (LTCs) have not yielded much benefit or acknowledged the broader social problems that might contribute to poor physical and mental well-being. The Patient Centred Assessment Method (PCAM) has been developed to enable broad assessment of patient biopsychosocial needs and to encourage action based on these needs. This research will assess the acceptability of the PCAM tool for addressing biopsychosocial needs in patients with LTCs in primary care and the feasibility of conducting a full-scale trial of its impact/effectiveness.
Primary care professionals and people with LTCs will assess the acceptability and implementation requirements of the PCAM, firstly through focus groups. We will then conduct a feasibility study for a cluster randomised controlled trial: in 8 GP practices, involving 16 practice nurses, with 50% allocated to deliver the PCAM intervention and 50% to deliver care as usual. Baseline data collection will be conducted before randomisation and will include immediate post-consultation data collection for 10 patients per nurse attending their annual assessment who are willing to take part (approach approx. 320 to obtain target of 160 participants). Data will include: patient demographics; patient-completed evaluation of consultation; patient-completed outcome measures; Nurse referrals/ signposting to services. Patient-completed follow-up will be collected by postal questionnaire 8 weeks after the nurse led-consultation. Practices will then be randomised to receive training and use of the PCAM, or to deliver care as usual. The same data will be collected for a second group of patients in both PCAM intervention and care as usual practices.
A sample of 5 pre/post training audio-recorded consultations will allow analysis of how nurses use the PCAM and whether it changes how they engage in assessments. Follow-up telephone interviews with nurses and patients will reflect on use and impact of PCAM.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
14/ES/1062
Date of REC Opinion
16 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion