Experiences of patients and healthcare workers in the NHS pre- and post- Covid-19

Abstract

This project assesses the benefit that qualitative investigation of experience brings to healthcare research. It does this through:

Phase One - Understanding the factors affecting AFO compliance in children with CP People with cerebral palsy (CP) often use ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) to support walking. Some literature suggests that adolescents with CP have low compliance rates (Wingstrand et al., 2014) but little research investigates the experiences of the patient in regard to AFO compliance or explores factors which influence their willingness to wear them. This project developed methodology to investigate AFO compliance in young adults with CP by assessing compliance levels, the biomechanical benefit of the AFO, and interviewing the user about their experiences of the device. A focus group was designed to explore peers’ perceptions of AFOs for context and insight.

Phase Two - Investigating the experiences of healthcare staff during the Covid-19 pandemic Covid-19 has significantly affected the world. While the physical impact of the virus is a research priority, the social and psychological effects also require investigation. One of the social impacts which occurred due to the pandemic is the development of boundaries in the workplace. This study investigated the impact of context and the social, psychological, and cultural mechanisms which caused the development of boundaries between staff in an NHS Trust. Diary entries were collected over three months to investigate the experiences of healthcare staff during the early months of the pandemic. In total, 13 participants submitted 97 diary entries. Two interviews were also conducted to gain contextual understanding. Data were analysed thematically and identified four themes, these themes highlighted the development of boundaries within the hospital. From this, it was possible to identify the mechanisms which caused them to emerge.

These phases highlight the benefits that exploring individual experience can bring to healthcare research and organisational management.