Development of a patient experience questionnaire for primary care mental health
- 1Department of Primary Care and General Practice, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
- 2National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
- Professor H Lester, Chair of Primary Care, National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, 5th Floor, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; helen.lester{at}manchester.ac.uk
- Accepted 11 March 2008
Abstract
Introduction: There are no validated measures available for use in assessing patients’ views of the quality of primary care mental healthcare at practice level.
Methods: The Patient Experience Questionnaire was developed through an initial information-gathering phase with focus groups followed by questionnaire development and validation with patients in nine general practices in the West Midlands. Statistical analyses were performed to test the internal consistency, validity and reliability of the questionnaire.
Results: Fifty-six patients participated in focus groups, and 241 patients completed the questionnaire. The 20-item questionnaire had good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.94) and test–retest reliability (r = 0.859; p = 0.01).
Discussion: The Patient Experience Questionnaire appears to be a valid and reliable instrument, able to assess patients’ views of the quality of primary care mental healthcare at practice level.
Footnotes
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Competing interests: None.
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Funding: This project was supported by a grant of £10 000 from the National Institute of Mental Health, UK. NM was funded by a Clinical Research Fellowship from the University of Birmingham and HL by a National Primary Care Career Scientist Award from the Department of Health.
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Ethics approval: Ethics approval was obtained from the West Birmingham Local Research Ethics Committee and South East Multi-regional Ethics Committee (MREC).
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Patient consent: Obtained.
