Qualitative study of a shared care clozapine service Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the perspectives and experiences of people that use and those that provide a shared care clozapine service
IRAS ID
119922
Contact name
Denise A Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
Over the last 10 years, government policies relating to mental health services have attempted to direct care provision to be more patient focused and promote choice and recovery nearer the person’s home. The clozapine shared care service is an alternative option for people who take the antipsychotic clozapine; to obtain it from their GP and community pharmacy. Usually supply is via secondary care mental health services and community mental health teams. Shared care means that the responsibilities for clozapine prescribing are shared between the specialist mental health services and healthcare professionals in the local community.
There are few shared care clozapine services in the country and therefore, little information about this service is available. This research aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of people who use and deliver the shared care clozapine service. The people who will be involved in the research will range from the individual who takes clozapine, their carer, the GP, the consultant psychiatrist, the community psychiatric nurse, and the community and hospital pharmacist. A secondary outcome of the research would be to identify the needs of each study participant of a shared care clozapine service. This information will be used to improve the shared care clozapine service so that the needs of the people who use and provide the service are met.
The study will use focus groups to explore the perceptions and experiences of people involved in the shared care clozapine service. A focus group is where a small group of people are asked questions and encouraged to have their say. The information from the focus group sessions will be analysed by gathering ‘themes’ from what people said, which will paint a picture of the experiences that people have had of the shared care and what their perceptions are of it.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EM/0286
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion