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Qualitative study of the meaning of personal care in general practice

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posted on 2006-11-30, 16:05 authored by Carolyn Clare Tarrant, Kate C. Windridge, Mary Boulton, Richard Baker, George K. Freeman
Objectives: To explore patients’ perceptions of the features of personal care and how far these are shared by healthcare providers; whether a continuing relationship between a health professional and a patient is essential for personal care; and the circumstances in which a continuing relationship is important. Design: Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews using the “framework” approach. Setting: Six general practices in Leicestershire. Participants: 40 patients aged ≥ 18 years, 13 general practitioners, 10 practice and community nurses, and six practice administrative staff, recruited through participating practices. Results: Patients’ and healthcare providers’ accounts cited human communication, individualised treatment or management, and whole person care as features of personal care. Personal care was described in three different contexts—a continuing relationship, a single consultation, and from the practice as a whole. The extent to which a continuing relationship was important for personal care was determined by the reason for consulting, as well as patients’ consulting history and lifestyle. Conclusions: Patients, general practitioners, primary care nurses, and administrative staff hold similar views on the meaning of personal care, despite differences of emphasis reflecting their different roles. Personal care is promoted by but not always dependent on a continuing provider-patient relationship; human communication and individualised care emerged as important in making care personal whatever the context. Most respondents valued relationships in primary care and had clear ideas about when care in the context of a relationship was most valuable.

History

Citation

BMJ, 2003, 326, pp. 1310- (see note under "description")

Version

  • VoR (Version of Record)

Published in

BMJ

Publisher

BMJ Publishing

issn

0959-8138

eissn

1756-1833

Copyright date

2003

Available date

2006-11-30

Publisher version

http://www.bmj.com/content/326/7402/1310

Notes

This is the full version of a paper published as BMJ, 2003, 326, pp.1310-1312. The full version is also available online at www.bmj.com

Language

en

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