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Qualitative analysis of the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response on paediatric health services in North of Scotland and North of England

Gadsby, Erica, Christie-de Jong, Floor, Bhopal, Sunil, Corlett, Heather and Turner, Stephen (2022) Qualitative analysis of the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response on paediatric health services in North of Scotland and North of England. BMJ Open, 12 (e05662). pp. 1-9. ISSN 2044-6055

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Abstract
Objective To capture the extent and impact of changes in the delivery of child health services in the UK, resulting from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response, from the perspectives of a range of child healthcare providers.

Setting National Health Service commissioned/delivered healthcare services in two regional settings in the UK: North of Scotland (NOS) and North East and North Cumbria (NENC) in England.

Participants Purposive sample of 39 child healthcare professionals including paediatricians, community/specialist nurses, allied health professionals and mental health professionals, from across the two regions (22 in NOS, 17 in NENC).

Methods Semistructured qualitative interviews conducted via telephone between June and October 2020, fully transcribed and analysed in NVivo V.11 using thematic analysis.

Results Extensive changes across a range of paediatric services were rapidly implemented to support the pandemic response and ongoing healthcare delivery. New ways of working emerged, principally to control the spread of the virus. Keeping users and their families out of hospital was an urgent driver for change. The changes had considerable impact on the health and well-being of staff with many experiencing radical changes to their working conditions and roles. However, there were some positive changes noted: some practitioners felt empowered and listened to by decision makers; some of the usual bureaucratic barriers to change were lifted; staff saw improved collaboration and joint working across the system; and some new ways of working were seen to be more efficient. Interviewees perceived the implications for children and their families to be profound, particularly with regard to self-care, relationships with practitioners and timely access to services.

Conclusions Despite the challenges experienced by staff, the pandemic provided an opportunity for positive, lasting change. It is vital to capitalise on this opportunity to benefit patient outcomes and to ‘build back’ services in a more sustainable way.

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More Information

Depositing User: Floor Christie

Identifiers

Item ID: 14582
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056628
ISSN: 2044-6055
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/14582
Official URL: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/2/e056628

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Floor Christie-de Jong: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5275-8030

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 14 Feb 2022 13:32
Last Modified: 14 Feb 2022 13:45

Contributors

Author: Floor Christie-de Jong ORCID iD
Author: Erica Gadsby
Author: Sunil Bhopal
Author: Heather Corlett
Author: Stephen Turner

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Psychology

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