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Feasibility and Acceptability of Providing Nurse Counsellor Genetics Clinics in Primary Care
Author(s) -
Westwood Greta
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
nursing and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.563
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1442-2018
pISSN - 1441-0745
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2006.00272_17.x
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , primary care , nursing , genetic counseling , patient satisfaction , service delivery framework , primary health care , service (business) , population , genetics , economy , environmental health , economics , biology
Increasing referrals to specialist genetics services have precipitated a review of models of service delivery in the United Kingdom. Little is known about whether a change in clinic location is feasible or acceptable for the patients seen. We consider the feasibility of genetics service development and delivery in primary care and develop a questionnaire to evaluate acceptability and cost to patients. Between July 2003 and May 2004, 64 primary care appointments with a genetics nurse counsellor were offered to patients referred and registered with selected general practices. 45 (79%) patients attended their appointment and 34 (77%) returned their follow‐up questionnaire. Total mean satisfaction score was high and patients were most satisfied with the information and affective domains of the appointment. 48% of patients seen by the genetics nurse counselor remained in primary care. Patients were satisfied with the travel time and distance to clinic and patient clinic costs were limited. This study shows that patients do attend genetics nurse counselor clinics in primary care, and are satisfied with the new location. A large cluster randomized controlled trial is now being conducted to obtain a controlled comparison of acceptability to patients of attending clinics in primary vs. secondary care settings.