Adding value to NHS services: patient views of a voluntary organisation’s service

Cavaye, Joyce and Hannay, Sheila (2010). Adding value to NHS services: patient views of a voluntary organisation’s service. In: Delivering Better Health Services, NHS Confederation Health Services Research Network Conference, 2-3 Jun 2010, Manchester.

Abstract

Within the UK, the British Red Cross works in partnership with the National Health Service (NHS) to provide health and social care services to support the recovery of vulnerable adults such as those with long term conditions including cancer, Parkinson’s disease, mental ill health. This paper draws on an evaluation of the Therapeutic Care service a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy provided by trained Red Cross volunteers and delivered in partnership with the NHS. Traditionally CAM has been practised in and delivered by the private sector. However, CAM therapies are now being integrated with conventional healthcare and commissioned by the NHS (Hunt and Ernst 2009). This small study adopted a qualitative grounded theory methodology to explore the views of patients who used the service in conjunction with conventional health interventions. In early 2009, data was gathered by means of in-depth unstructured interviews. Data analysis was guided by the principles and process of ground theory. Findings indicate that patients experienced a wide range of positive physical and psychological benefits and an increased sense of wellbeing. They perceived the Therapeutic Care service as complimenting and adding value to conventional healthcare. The results of the study suggest that by working in partnership with the NHS, the voluntary sector can provide services to effectively support patient care and rehabilitation.

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