Table 2 Overview of similarities and differences of barriers/facilitators across the sample groups towards using NHS Direct
From: Barriers and facilitators to using NHS Direct: a qualitative study of `users’ and `non-users’
Theme | User groups Bedfordshire | Non-user groups Manchester | Non-user groups Mendip |
|---|---|---|---|
Awareness of service | • Good awareness and understanding of service | • Lack of awareness | • Lack of awareness |
• Most participants had used a wide range of services NHS Direct had e.g. online self-assessment tool | • Most participants had not heard of NHS Direct or services they provide | • Most participants had not heard of NHS Direct or services they provide | |
• Some misunderstandings of what NHS Direct is | • Some misunderstandings of what NHS Direct is | ||
Cost to the individual | • Most participants were not aware of the cost from a mobile phone | • Viewed as very expensive | • Expense was not viewed as a barrier |
• All participants had a landline phone | • Many of the participants did not have a landline phone | • All participants had a landline phone | |
Ease of use | • All participants found the service easy to use | • Some participants felt that this would be an easy to use service | • Difficulties in hearing over the phone |
• Viewed easier than using conventional out-of hours services | • Concern of complicated phone service with lots of options | • Dislike of answering lots of questions over phone | |
• Being passed from person to person | • Difficulty of understanding foreign accents | ||
• Language barriers e.g. non English speaking | • Technical issues e.g. afraid of being cut off | ||
• Memory would make it difficult to use | |||
Time/Speed | • Seen as instant advice and reassurance | • Concerned about waiting a long time for a call back | • Concerned about waiting a long time for a call back |
• Was viewed as a key advantage to using the service | • Was viewed as wasting time | • Was viewed as wasting time | |
• Sometimes there was a long time to wait for a call back from a nurse | |||
Acceptability of non-face-to-face healthcare | • Positive attitudes towards not having face-to-face contact | • Preference for face-to-face healthcare | • Preference for face-to-face healthcare |
• Provided reassurance | • Would feel that they are unable to express themselves | • Would feel that they are unable to express themselves | |
• Viewed service as personable and professional | • Would not provide reassurance | • Would not provide reassurance | |
• Was not viewed as personable | • Was not viewed as personable |