PatientView Research

PatientView's pioneering work has explored many different areas related to the improvement of patient care. The organisation was:

• The first group to conduct a large survey of health and social campaigning organisations in the UK (2004). For more details Click here

• Possibly the first group in the UK to involve patients and patient representatives in a clinical assessment of new technologies for the NHS [electronic-booking technology] (2003). For more details Click here

• The first group worldwide to conduct surveys of representatives of patient organisations across disease areas and geographic boundaries (2002). For more details Click here

• The first group in the UK to conduct surveys of GPs and specialists on the role of primary-care practitioners in HIV care (2000-2002). For more details Click here

• The first group worldwide to develop a postcode-based website designed to allow the public to obtain feedback about local primary care (2000-2001). For more details Click here

• One of the first groups in the UK to conduct a systematic survey of patients' attitudes toward GP care within a specific healthcare region (2000-2001). For more details Click here

Survey of UK patient groups for the MHRA

cover of February 2004 MHRA report

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for all aspects of regulation of prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, and medical devices in the UK. In January 2004, the MHRA and Stonehenge Public Relations commissioned PatientView to conduct a UK-wide survey of patient organisations. The survey examined these groups' opinions on the MHRA's ability to communicate with health campaigners. A total of 195 organisations (including statutory bodies) participated, making the survey the UK's largest across-the-board poll of health and social campaigning groups. The survey results were collected in record time–three weeks. PatientView produced a 29-page survey report, How well does the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) communicate with your organisation? in February 2004. Nearly all survey respondents believed that the MHRA should do more to inform organisations such as their own about the risks and benefits of medicine and medical devices. A number of campaigning groups offered their assistance to the MHRA, to help it achieve that goal.

EU-wide all-disease survey of patient organisations

cover of DTCI EU report

The views of EU-based patient groups on the patient information debate This June 2002 report carries the results of PatientView's EU-wide survey of patient groups, conducted in partnership with IAPO. Survey aim: examining patients' current sources of information on prescription medicines, and discovering whether patient groups believed that pharmaceutical firms should be allowed to supply the public with more facts about prescription medicines. Subjects covered include: survey methodology; a profile of the respondents and their patient groups; currently-available information on prescription medicines; patient group attitudes to an enlarged informational role by industry; regulation and policing; and national differences.

The survey also generated three other reports:

cover of DTCI UK report

1. The views of UK-based patient groups on the patient information debate An examination of the views held by 34 UK patient groups on the subject of whether pharmaceutical companies should supply the public with more information on prescription medicines [drawn from the EU-wide survey of patient groups]. Topics covered include: a profile of the UK patient groups surveyed; currently-available information on prescription medicines; UK patient group attitudes to an enlarged informational role by industry; regulation and policing; conclusions; and three case studies. August 2002.

cover of DTCI Netherlands report

2. The views of Netherlands-based patient groups on the patient information debate An examination of the views held by 19 patient groups from the Netherlands on the subject of whether pharmaceutical companies should supply the public with more information on prescription medicines [drawn from the EU-wide survey of patient groups]. Topics covered include: a profile of the Dutch patient groups surveyed; currently-available information on prescription medicines; the attitudes of the Netherlands patient groups to an enlarged informational role by industry; regulation and policing; and conclusions. October 2002.

cover of January 2003 cancer report

3. What patients with cancer think of information on prescription medicines Eleven patient groups specialising in cancer responded to PatientView's EU-wide survey of patient groups. This report is an analysis of the cancer groups' opinions on the subject of whether patients with cancer need more information on prescription medicines. Topics covered include: subject introduction; methodology to the EU-wide survey; a lengthy subject conclusion; and pooled responses from cancer patient groups. January 2003.

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Surveys of GPs and specialists on the role
of primary-care practitioners in HIV care

Managing HIV-a new role for GPs?
The results of two surveys conducted among London GPs. Survey aim: discovering what sort of primary-care services are offered to HIV patients by GPs with an interest in HIV. Subjects covered in the Managing HIV-a New Role for GPs report include: an introduction to the subject of caring for HIV patients at primary-care level; survey methodology; HIV-related medical services among London GPs; face-to-face interviews with GP respondents; and pooled survey results. The report was published in December 2001 in collaboration with the Terrence Higgins Trust, and presented to the Royal College of General Practitioners' Sex, Drugs and HIV Task Group, London.

cover of HIV2 report

Opinions held by specialists on the primary-care management of HIV patients The results of a survey among specialists in UK GUM clinics. This survey was a follow-up to the two surveys of London GPs. Survey aim: discovering what sort of services that specialists believed the primary-care sector could offer patients with HIV infection. Subjects covered in the Opinions Held by Specialists on the Primary-Care Management of HIV Patients report include: a profile of the respondents, their clinics and patients; the current and future role of GPs in HIV care-a specialist perspective; specialist perceptions of patient preferences; transfer of data and the factors that prevent a closer relationship between HIV specialists and GPs; and training and shared care. The report was published in April 2002 in collaboration with the Terrence Higgins Trust and the British HIV Association (BHIVA).

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Website for disseminating local patients' views
of primary care in the UK NHS

The UK NHS is divided into discrete areas, based on geographical location and defined by postcode. In collaboration with scientists from Imperial College, PatientView has developed software that enables members of the public to be taken to their GP practice (or to their PCT) by inputting their postcode into a website. Users can then be provided with an array of information about the standards and services of their GP practice. All the information is contained on one website, making Patient2020 unique when compared with other GP-based websites.

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Patients' views of primary care in the UK NHS

In August-September 2000, PatientView conducted a pilot study of NHS patients' opinions of primary care. The study focused on the North Camden Primary Care group (NCPCG). One of the aims of the study was to establish templates for disseminating those views back to the public, to GPs, PCTs, and professional bodies, etc. The study comprised three arms: 1. Collation of information about local GP practices. 2. Collation of information about local pharmacies. 3. Telephone survey (by an accredited pollster) of 1.4% of the PCG's registered patient population. 1,528 patients became respondents, all of whom were over 18 years of age and had visited their GP at least twice in the previous 12 months. GP practices were profiled from the patients' perspective on several important issues: access; GP-patient relations; drug compliance; referral rates; and, finally, satisfaction levels. PatientView, working independently of the NCPCG, designed the questionnaires for all three arms of the study, and managed the project.

A closed-circulation print report was published in March 2001. The report was designed to be of use to PCT chief executives (specifically, in this case, the chief executive of the NCPCG). PatientView sent leaflets to each of the PCG's GP practices, outlining their own patients' views of the practice. The project's overall results were presented to key groups, including the NCPCG's Local Medical Committee, the General Practitioners' Committee, the Commission of Health Improvement, and the Department of Health.

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