RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Challenges to the credibility of patient feedback in primary healthcare settings: a qualitative study
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP e200
OP e208
DO 10.3399/bjgp13X664252
VO 63
IS 608
A1 Anthea Asprey
A1 John L Campbell
A1 Jenny Newbould
A1 Simon Cohn
A1 Mary Carter
A1 Antoinette Davey
A1 Martin Roland
YR 2013
UL http://bjgp.org/content/63/608/e200.abstract
AB Background The UK government has encouraged NHS services to obtain patient feedback to support the further development of patient-centred care. In 2009, the English GP Patient Survey included a sample of 5.5 million, but little is known about its potential utility in informing developments aimed at improving the quality of patients’ experiences of primary care.Aim To investigate primary care providers’ response to feedback on patient experience from a national survey.Design and setting Qualitative interview study in 10 general practices from four primary care trusts in England.Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs, practice nurses, and practice managers (n = 37). Transcripts were analysed thematically.Results Although some participants reported making changes to their practice in response to the survey data, many expressed doubts about the credibility of the results. Key issues included: concerns about practical aspects of the survey, such as the response rate and representativeness of the sample; the view that it gave insufficient detail to facilitate change and failed to address some salient issues; and unease about the influence of political influences underpinning its introduction and use.Conclusion Although, in general, primary care professionals have positive attitudes towards patient feedback, this study suggests a mismatch between the conventional demonstration of the objectivity of a questionnaire survey and the attitudes and experiences of those receiving the data. This is likely to prevent doctors from engaging constructively with the survey. These concerns may well militate against the potential of the survey to act as a simple means of capturing, and effectively using, feedback from patients.