Experiences of using NHS patient medicines helplines
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Service users' experiences of hospital-based NHS patient medicines helplines. A qualitative study.
IRAS ID
233726
Contact name
Matthew Williams
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Research suggests that recently discharged hospital patients often lack information about their prescribed medicines. Patient medicines helplines enable discharged patients to speak to a hospital pharmacist for medicines information. Patients can also call about medicines errors, and studies suggest that between 19-39% of calls avoid harm to patients. However, studies also suggest that patient medicines helplines are not as widely used as they could be. On average, acute Trusts receive 8 calls per week, and only 52% of Trusts in England currently provide the service.
Service evaluation survey studies have been conducted to examine what patients think of medicines helplines. However, such studies have limitations. For example, surveys include questions and answer options which are important to the researcher, rather than allowing participants to provide information that is important to them. Also, service evaluations may be prone to bias, since they are typically conducted by the service operators. We would like to know more about the benefits of medicines helplines, and ways that they could be improved. Establishing this may help to increase their availability and use. To achieve this, qualitative research methods would be preferable.
This study involves carrying out interviews with patients and carers within one month of them using a medicines helpline service. The aim of the study will be to explore service users’ experiences of the service, and how things have been for them since. Interviews will enable participants to use their own words to describe their experiences. Through learning about service users’ experiences of patient medicines helplines, we aim to make suggestions to improve how helplines are operated so that they better meet the needs of patients and carers. This accords with the NHS agenda of seeking patients’ and carers’ views and experiences to improve service quality.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0382
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion