PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH RHEUMATOLOGY SERVICES IN MUSGRAVE PARK HOSPITAL

1 Introduction

Aim of focus groups

In late 1999, Green Park Healthcare Trust asked the Eastern Health and Social Services Council to organise focus groups, in order to explore patients' views of rheumatology services in Musgrave Park Hospital (MPH). In September 2000, representatives from arthritis support groups/voluntary organisations were invited to attend a meeting in Musgrave Park Hospital to discuss the research project. However, only two representatives - from Arthritis Care/Jointz and the Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association - were able to attend the meeting. It was agreed that the focus group participants should consist of adult and adolescent patients and parents of paediatric patients.

Literature review

A brief literature review was conducted of previous research relating to patient satisfaction with rheumatology services (see appendix). Some of the issues highlighted, which impact on the overall quality of care, were: the availability of care; outpatient facilities; continuity of care; the care process (e.g. waiting times for appointments) and communication by staff. These issues were subsequently explored in the focus groups with patients and parents.

Recruitment of patients and parents

Musgrave Park Hospital wrote to patients and parents of children, inviting them to attend the focus groups. Freepost envelopes were provided, to enable the respondents to reply directly to the Eastern Health and Social Services Council. Letters of invite were sent to 113 adult patients who had been discharged from hospital over the previous five weeks or who had been admitted as day cases over the previous three weeks. Letters of invite were also sent to 84 parents whose children had attended outpatients over the previous twelve weeks. Lastly, 50 adolescents (aged 14-17 years inclusive) who had been seen in outpatients over the previous twelve (or more) weeks also received letters of invite. In addition, the adolescent patients were also sent consent forms which had to be signed by their parents. Subsequently, 21 adults patients, 6 adolescent patients and 15 parents confirmed that they would attend their respective focus groups.

Details of focus group participants

Separate focus groups were arranged for adult patients, adolescent patients and parents of children. In addition, two focus groups were arranged for adult patients because of the large number of adults who planned to attend. However, as the following table shows, ultimately there were only eleven participants in the focus groups, which took place in late January 2001:

No. of focus group participants, by gender

All the adult patients were aged 45 to 59 years and the adolescent patients were aged 14 or 15 years. The parents attended their respective group in relation to children aged 5, 7 and 13 years.

The comments/suggestions made by one adult patient (H) and a parent of an adolescent patient (Ad) who were unable to attend the focus groups are also incorporated in this report.

Codes for adult patients: A, D, M, S1, S2.
Codes for parents: B, K, Sa.
Codes for adolescent patients: D, K, Se.

Arthritic conditions

Two adult patients had rheumatoid arthritis; one had fibromyalgic arthritis and two adult patients suffered from both rheumatoid and fibromyalgic arthritis. As regards the children whose parents attended the focus groups, two children had rheumatoid arthritis and the third child had not yet been diagnosed. One of the adolescents had rheumatoid arthritis and another had fibromyalgia; the third adolescent had not been diagnosed.

Format of focus groups

It was agreed that the focus groups would cover the total hospital experience, that is, outpatients, daycare and inpatient treatment. However, discussions which focused on adults patients attending outpatients related, not to Musgrave Park Hospital, but to Belfast City Hospital (BCH) and Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH). Subsequently, lists of topics for the focus groups were sent to the Nurse Manager (MPH) for approval. All the focus groups took place in Musgrave Park Hospital. The participants were offered assistance with transport and childcare arrangements and expenses were reimbursed where necessary.