Challenges and facilitators for patient and public involvement in England;focus groups with senior nurses

The concepts of patient and public involvement (PPI) have been recognized and linked with quality in health services internationally and in Europe. In England, for more than a decade, NHS policies have increasingly quoted patient-centred services. Limited evidence exists about the implementation of PPI policies and strategies within organisations;three studies only have explored health professionals’ perceptions of PPI. Although nurses’ positive support for patient and public involvement has been noted, comparatively little is known about senior nurses’ experiences of embedding PPI. A national consultation utilising three focus groups aimed to explore senior nurses’ perceptions of challenges and facilitators for PPI implementation. Four Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and eleven Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England, with fifteen senior nurses with leadership roles and direct PPI experience, participated. Nurses’ perceptions on patient and public involvement, challenges and facilitators for its implementation were discussed. Focus groups were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim;anonymised transcripts were validated by participants and analysed with thematic analysis. Limited resources, patient representation and recruitment, complexities of implementing PPI and national policy changes were challenging. Commissioning limitations, lack of feedback on patient experience, limited staff awareness, negative attitudes, management of patients and public expectations constituted further challenges. Nursing role characteristics and informal involvement activities, PPI policy and cultural change, commissioning PPI competencies, related service frameworks, providing feedback on patient experiences to staff and recognition of involvement benefits were recognised as facilitators. Findings provided new insights into senior nurses’ experiences and evidence that progress towards meaningful, effective PPI remains slow. However, recognition of existing nursing role characteristics and potential delivery problems created by expanded nursing roles, informal PPI practice and internal organisational sharing of patient feedback may bring an “emerging productive partnership” with nurses enabling and contributing to effective PPI.

Diversity and Scope of Senior Nurses’ Informal and Formal Experiences of Patient and Public Involvement in England

Patient and public involvement (PPI) has been recognized internationally. In England, NHS policies have increasingly emphasized the importance of patient-centered services, but limited evidence exists about the implementation of PPI policies and strategies within organizations. Few studies have explored health professionals’ perceptions of PPI and comparatively little is known about the experience of senior nurses. A national consultation utilising three focus groups aimed to explore senior nurses’ PPI experience. Four Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and eleven Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England, with fifteen senior nurses with leadership roles and direct PPI experience, participated. Focus groups were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim;anonymised transcripts were validated by participants and analysed with thematic analysis. Sixteen categories emerged within five sub-themes of PPI experience: provision of information and raising awareness (1 category), informal generic PPI-activities not perceived as PPI (3 categories), formal generic PPI (3 categories), involvement of specific groups (5 categories) and PPI in commissioning and strategy (4 categories). Findings provided new insights into senior nurses’ experiences and evidence that progress towards meaningful, effective PPI remains slow. Nurses performed PPI in a pragmatic sense, by virtue of the nature of nursing, but they did not recognise or label these activities as such. However, a plethora and variety of innovative activities formally recognised as patient and public involvement were undertaken, together with specific networks and groups’ involvement, and involvement linked to commissioning and strategy. Enhancing awareness of nurses through education, together with monitoring and feedback mechanisms could support the PPI implementation and effectiveness at organisations.