Identification and Management of Frequent Users of Emergency Services

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Identification and management of Frequent Users of Urgent and Emergency Healthcare.

  • IRAS ID

    215414

  • Contact name

    Nicola Worrillow

  • Contact email

    N.Worrillow6739@student.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Leeds Beckett University

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 3 months, 4 days

  • Research summary

    This is the 2nd Phase of the PhD research project, which looks at frequent users of Urgent and Emergency Healthcare Services. Phase 1 has been completed, which comprised of a systematic mapping exercise; the creation of a taxonomy of High Intensity Users (HIUs); and targeted interviews from clinical members of staff within Out of Hours General Practitioners (OOH GPs); Ambulance Services, Emergency Departments and NHS 111 sites. This Phase focuses on the connectivity between these services and builds upon the systematic mapping exercise. Ethical approval is being sought for two types of data collection which will add value to work that has already been completed: firstly, for observational site visits at both OOH GPs and NHS 111 Contact Centres and secondly, for semi-structured interviews with HIUs to gain information regarding their viewpoints and experiences of Urgent and Emergency Healthcare.

    Four Observational visits of staff interactions whilst conducting telephone triage assessments of HIUs will be undertaken at the clinical sites of NHS 111 and OOH GPs’ telephone contact centres, which support and manage HIUs. This should provide valuable insight into how the HIUs’ journey through Urgent and Emergency Healthcare Services impacts on their outcome, staff resilience and resources.

    The patient voice needs to be embedded throughout this research through eight interviews, to explore the underlying reason/s for their selection of a particular service to support them at that time. Their views will be gathered to ascertain firstly, their rationale for selecting Emergency and Urgent care services and secondly, how well they feel they have been supported by the service they attended. This feedback will be analysed to understand why HIUs frequently select and use Urgent and Emergency Healthcare Services to address their needs. Patients will not be contacted by the researcher until they have agreed to take part in this project.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    17/YH/0143

  • Date of REC Opinion

    31 May 2017

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion