Participants are wanted for on-line research exploring doctors’ communication with patients during lockdown

Researchers at University of Southampton are looking for people to take part in an online survey about how doctors and patients communicate.

During lockdown, more and more people are consulting their doctors over the phone and via video, as well as in person. The researchers want to find out about patients’ experiences of these consultations, as part of a major project that aims to help doctors improve their communication skills.

The team are keen for adults who have had an appointment by telephone, video or face to face with their GP or other primary care health care professional in the past 2 weeks to complete an online survey. The survey has 2 parts, taken 2 weeks apart, which each take about 10-20 minutes to complete.  The survey includes questions about patients’ experiences of consultations as well as some questions about patients’ health and wellbeing.  Some people who take the survey will also have the opportunity to share their experiences with a researcher on the telephone. 

The survey can be accessed here.

The study has full ethical approval and is funded by the School of Primary Care Research (SPCR) of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Associate Professor Felicity Bishop, a Health Psychologist, and Professor Hazel Everitt, a GP, are leading this research. They said: ‘We know how important good communication is in health care settings, especially so when time is limited. We are developing resources to help health care providers optimise their communication. Patient feedback, such as we are seeking in this study, is vital to inform this research.’