Qualitative evaluation of the Health Research Support Service (HRSS) Pilot Programme; Primary Care project: facilitators and barriers to successful implementation at a national level

The University College London (UCL) e-health unit is running this project. It is a separate, independent project to the pilot HRSS. The project will look at the views and beliefs of people directly involved with the pilot. The findings of this project will be used to identify any issues or concerns to implementing the HRSS at a national level.

Aims

• To watch and explain the beliefs, views and behaviours of key stakeholders
• To identify key enablers and potential barriers to successful implementation at a national level.

Objectives

• To watch and investigate communications between individuals at meetings to set up the pilot HRSS
• To watch and investigate the implementation of the study processes in selected primary care settings
• To investigate and explain the beliefs about, and views of, the pilot HRSS from selected individuals from a range of stakeholder groups, including the administrators, staff in GP practices (such as GPs, Nurses, Practice Managers and receptionists), patients and members of the public. 

Methods

Participant observation will be used in meetings setting up the pilot HRSS.
Focus groups will help examine people’s beliefs about the aims of the service, and the practical implementation of the process. 

The project is keen to explore people’s understanding of the processes involved in the pilot HRSS, what they think will happen to the data and why, and how acceptable they think this is.

Issues of trust will be discussed, as well as issues of control over the use of the data and how far it is felt it is possible to protect patients’ personal data. 

Finally, staff will be asked about concerns relating to additional work both in terms of providing data and dealing with concerns from patients. 

The project is particularly interested in enablers and potential barriers to implementation.  Where focus groups are difficult to arrange, individual interviews will be arranged. 

All observations, focus groups and interviews will be tape recorded with consent. 

Recruitment and Consent

All potential participants will receive a project information sheet and be asked to complete a consent form.

Analysis

All data will be recorded in full and checked by at least two members of the research team. Additionally the data may be discussed in steering group meetings related to this project.
 
A report will be produced at the end of the project for the senior board of the HRSS Pilot Programme.