Patient research to bring health care improvements
Posted on 19 June 2007
The book Patient Participation in Health Care Consultations: Qualitative Perspectives (Open University Press, April 2007) is a collaboration between health and social services academics through a series of research studies across in the UK and in Finland. It was prompted by a seminar series on patient involvement sponsored by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It will be launched at a special conference in York on 20 June 2007.
Patient involvement is now very much on the policy agenda
Dr Sarah Collins
The current emphasis in the NHS on the importance of involving patients in decisions about their care, and on effective communication between patients and health professionals, make this book extremely timely. The book asks critical questions such as: What is patient participation? Can it be assumed to be a good thing? How can it be promoted? How can it be taught?
The book highlights different ways patients are involved in health care in England, Scotland and Wales, and Finland. It examines how patient participation works in practice and how it can be researched and taught, providing real examples for discussion.
The book covers a range of topical issues including:
- opportunities patients have to express treatment preferences in a consultation
- how patients’ trust in their doctor can encourage participation
- how the ways nurses phrase questions to patients on admission to hospital can influence involvement in their care
It is based on a series of research studies by the universities of York and Edinburgh, the Peninsula Medical School and the University of Tampere in Finland. The research examined citizen involvement in health care in England, Scotland and Wales and Finland. It was prompted by a seminar series on patient involvement sponsored by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) which ran for two years and ended in 2004.
Lead author and editor, Dr Sarah Collins, Lecturer in Healthcare Communication in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School, said: "The purpose of the book is to inform research, but the message of the book is that for research to be meaningful, it has to include the voice of the people on the ground."
"Patient involvement is now very much on the policy agenda, and we believe this book will be key reading for students and academics in health and social sciences and for practising health care professionals. It will also be of interest to patients, carers and policy makers."
The book examines how patient participation works in practice and how it can be researched and taught.
It explores the links between theory, research and practice, drawing on different disciplinary perspectives in the health and social sciences as well as comparing different health care settings. Patient Participation in Health Care Consultations focuses on patient, professional and academic experiences and makes substantive contributions to policy, practice and professional development.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Patient Participation in Health Care Consultations: Qualitative Perspectives edited by Sarah Collins, Nicky Britten, Johanna Ruusuvuori and Andrew Thompson was published by Open University Press in April 2007.
- The University of York’s Department of Health Sciences is a large multi-disciplinary department, offering a broad range of taught and research programmes in the health care field, including nursing. It aims to develop the role of scientific evidence in health and health care through high quality research, teaching and other forms of dissemination.
- The Hull York Medical School is a partnership between the Universities of York and Hull. Drawing on the expertise of both universities, it opened in 2003 and has already developed an enviable reputation for medical research and undergraduate teaching.
- The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research relevant to business, the public sector and voluntary organisations. The ESRC's planned total expenditure in 2007-08 is £181 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes. More at www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk
- Open University Press is part of the McGraw-Hill Companies who are committed to the Open University Press Policypolicy of publishing the best possible resources for academics, students and professionals. We publish books and resources for education, health, the social sciences, management and study skills.To purchase copies of the text visit the Open University Press website at mcgraw-hill.co.uk/html/0335219640.html, call 01628 502700 or email emea_orders@mcgraw-hill.com