Map Healthcare Provision Outside the NHS

Map Healthcare Provision Outside the NHS Through the Development of Virtual Online Practice Communities in Primary and Secondary Care (VOICE)

• To collect data to show which sites outside of the NHS are currently being signposted to patients by Healthcare Multidisciplinary Professionals
• To collect data about these sites, from patients who have been referred or signposted to sites outside of the NHS from a Healthcare Multidisciplinary Professional
• To develop a database of potential healthcare sites outside the NHS that could become involved in NIHR Healthcare

This is a small-scale pilot project to test out the research design and methodology. This pilot project will take a small-scale approach to mapping non-NHS providers that are currently (a) being recommended and signposted by healthcare professionals and (b) have been experienced by patients. A sample of around 100 participants who are (a) currently employed in a range of healthcare provision settings or who (b) have experienced healthcare provision outside the NHS and who (i) have regular access to internet access in order to access a blog; and (ii) have sufficient English language skills to read and understand questions posted on the blog, will be recruited.

Participants will be asked to provide information via a blog about which non-NHS healthcare provision they would signpost or recommend. There will be opportunities both to record data and to communicate and form discussions with other participants on the blog. This data will be coded and collated onto a database and analysed thematically.

Inclusion Criteria:

• currently employed in a healthcare setting in a role that involves direct contact with patients for at least one day per week or
• have been a patient accessing non-NHS healthcare provision within the last two years.
• must have self-reported, sufficient English language ability to read the blog
• have regular personal access to the internet.

Exclusion criteria:

• not currently employed in a healthcare setting in a role that involves direct contact with patients for at least one day per week or
• not have been a patient accessing non-NHS healthcare provision within the last two years.
• not have self-reported, sufficient English language ability to read the blog
• not have regular personal access to the internet.