STOIC-GP Quality and Safety Themes Of Interpreted Consultations in General Practice

What is this study about?

This is a study about safety strategies used in GP consultations for patients who don’t speak English.

Why do this research?

Healthcare workers often see patients who do not speak English well. Interpreters are used to help doctors and patients understand each other. Sometimes, things can go wrong if interpreters translate information differently to how the doctors intended it.

“Safety netting” is a term used to describe the advice given by GPs in consultations when there is some uncertainty about what is wrong with the patient. Safety netting involves giving patients information on where and when to seek help if they keep feeling unwell or get worse. It is thought that safety netting may prevent serious illness and even save lives by encouraging patients to come back to see the doctor.

Research, from fluent English speakers, has shown that patients do not always understand this type of ‘safety netting’ advice. In fact, some people feel dismissed, and others are discouraged from returning. Recent work with patients who do not speak English, and who use interpreters, found that they felt uneasy when their doctor expressed uncertainty. We do not know how safety netting is used in consultations involving interpreters or what these patients understand about safety netting advice.

Study aim:

This study aims to find out how safety netting is used in GP consultations where the patient does not speak English and an interpreter is used.

How will this question be addressed?

In this study, researchers will use recorded telephone consultations to hear how GPs give safety netting advice when working with an interpreter. We will learn about how patients respond to the safety netting advice both by listening to their responses on the recording, and by inviting them to take part in interviews. We will ask them what they understood from the safety netting part of the consultation, and what they intend to do. We will also interview their GP (separately), to make sure we know what the GP’s intentions were in the consultation. The patients will be interviewed either in their own language (by a bilingual researcher) or with an interpreter present. The GPs will be asked about what they intended the patient to understand by the safety netting advice.

How will this study benefit patients?

This study will investigate how safety netting is currently used in consultations with interpreters. Safety netting is considered best practice in many healthcare settings but there remains a lack of clear guidance as to how it should be delivered effectively, especially when consulting with interpreters. This study may offer insights into how we can make consultations with interpreters safer for patients.

Amount awarded: £62,411