GP Waiting Room Study (GPWR)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The use of GP waiting rooms to display cancer information
IRAS ID
243964
Contact name
Una Macleod
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hull
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The overall aim of the study is to understand how GP waiting rooms are used to present information about cancer, especially in relation to cancer screening and the signs and symptoms of different cancers. The study will involve three tasks:
Observation sessions in sixteen GP waiting rooms to watch how cancer information is used. A researcher will visit each practice twice across a six-month period to observe and record the presentation of, and accessibility to, passive interventions relating to cancer. A standardised observation protocol (Appendix 2) will be tested and adjusted during early fieldwork. With the permission of the Practice Manager (Appendix 3), photographs of waiting rooms will be taken at each visit at the beginning or end of surgery times when the waiting rooms are empty: recording the layout of waiting rooms will provide context for the observations and interviews (see below).
Interviews of general practice staff who manage information provision, asking about their decision-making around this task (maximum of two interviews per GP practice, 30-minute interviews using a topic guide, Appendix 4). Photographs of the waiting rooms will be referred to during the interviews to explore staff decision-making. The constraints of the building will be explored – for example, whether it is purpose built or private/rented, whether it is newly built or refurbished, etc. Interviews will be conducted during the last month of the fieldwork. Interviews will be digitally recorded (with permission) and transcribed verbatim. All names will be anonymised. Interviewees will receive a Participant Information Sheet (Appendix 5) prior to consenting to take part.
A patient questionnaire, to be sent out to a total of 3,600 patients (225 per GP practice) at the end of the study. The questionnaire will gauge patients’ awareness of cancer information. It will also explore issues arising from observations and interviews, alongside collecting demographic information (Appendix 6).
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0352
Date of REC Opinion
13 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion