HoPE study part 3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The HoPE Study part 3: qualitative study to explore the primary healthcare needs of older Housebound patients in England, and barriers and enablers to delivering effective healthcare.
IRAS ID
352453
Contact name
Polly Duncan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol Research Governance Team Research & Enterprise Division
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Background
There is little research about housebound patients in the UK. This research may lead to better healthcare for older housebound patients in the future.Aim
To explore patients, carers and health professionals’ views about:
• the care GP practices provide for older housebound patients;
• what helps and hinders GP practices from providing good care;
• unmet healthcare need (care that patients should get but are not currently getting);
• and ideas for improving care in the future.Method
We will interview about 20 older housebound patients (aged 65 years or more) and 10 carers from different backgrounds, to gather their views and experience of getting healthcare from their GP practice and ideas for improving it. For patients who cannot speak English, information will be translated, and an interpreter will be used. We will also do four focus groups with about 30 healthcare professionals (e.g. GPs, nurses, paramedics etc) to find out their experience of providing care to older housebound patients, including what helps or stops them providing good care. Before the focus groups, HCPs will complete a short (<10 minute) survey about how healthcare is organised in their practice. During the focus groups, alongside other questions, we will ask HCPs to reflect on vignettes (anonymised short stories from the patient and carer interviews). The interviews and focus groups will be typed up and anonymised.Sharing the findings
We will publicise the findings in research journals, conferences, blogs and social media to reach a wide audience. Other researchers will be able to access the anonymised data for use in their research. At the end of the study, patients and carers will have the option of being filmed talking about their experiences. These films will be uploaded to healthtalk.org and socialtalk.org - a platform for sharing patient stories.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0126
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jul 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion