General practitioners' views on perceived and actual gains, benefits and barriers associated with the implementation of an Australian health assessment for people with intellectual disability

Abstract

GPs perceive the CHAP as a structured and comprehensive approach to the detection of medical problems as well as an aid in overcoming communication barriers between the doctor and the person with disability. Our findings suggest that some GPs may find it difficult to predict the benefits of using health assessments such as the CHAP. Achieving optimal uptake is likely to require attention at policy and systems levels to address: GP time constraints in providing healthcare to this population; enhancement of support worker training and organisational structures to encourage comprehensive health assessment and follow-up activities; and GP awareness of the improved health outcomes shown to derive from the use of comprehensive health assessments.

GPs’ opinions of health assessment instruments for people with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative study

“…32 A health assessment implementation study noticed better health care, uncertain benefits, organisational barriers, and more engagement between the person with ID, their care provider, and the GP. 20 In contrast with other research, this study did not find that GPs view patient histories as unclear and that they fear a lack of compliance with the GPs' management plans. 32 The attitudes of GPs towards other instruments for screening in primary care, such as those for screening depression and cardiovascular risk, resemble the attitudes mentioned in this present study.…”

The impact of health checks for people with intellectual disabilities: An updated systematic review of evidence

“…Of the 48 publications, only 3 were based on RCTs (Jones & Kerr, 1997;Lennox et al, 2007Lennox et al, , 2010. Two publications were newly identified which present further information from one of these RCTs: one on costs associated with the health check (Gordon et al, 2012); and one on General Practitioner (GP) perceptions of using the health check (Lennox et al, 2013). One study had a non-randomised matched control group (Cooper et al, 2006).…”

“…A further newly identified study in Northern Ireland analysed information gathered from GP returns regarding health checks to the Health and Social Care Board, as well as a sample of patient satisfaction questionnaires from GP practices and feedback from primary care staff obtained at a consultation workshop (McConkey, 2013). A number of other studies, three of which were newly identified, used questionnaires, interviews, or workshop discussions to look at the views of service users, carers, GPs or practice nurses with regard to health checks (Barr et al, 1999;Bollard, 1999;Cassidy et al, 2002;Chapman, 2012;Lennox et al, 2013;Martin, Roy, Wells, & Lewis, 1997;McConkey et al, 2002;Walmsley, 2011) and one was based on a cross-sectional survey of community learning disability nursing services in Scotland (McKenzie & Powell, 2004). Of other newly identified articles: one study used focus groups to look at the views of service users regarding health checks and this was pooled with additional focus group data looking at service user experiences of primary healthcare (Perry et al, 2014); clinical audit was used to evaluate health checks in relation to the recording of information for specific questions (Codling, 2007(Codling, , 2012; and inclusive research involving people with intellectual disabilities visiting GP surgeries has been reported (Michell, 2012).…”

“…Overall, the majority of the publications identified were based on studies conducted in the UK, including 19 from England (Backer & Jervis, 2007;Bollard, 1999;Cassidy et al, 2002;Chapman, 2012;Chauhan, Kontopantelis, Campbell, Jarrett, & Lester, 2010;Chauhan et al, 2012;Codling, 2007Codling, , 2012Hunt, Wakefield, & Hunt, 2001;Hunt, Rankine, & Blackmore, 2006;Martin, Axon, & Baillie, 2004;Martin, Philip, et al, 2004;Martin, 2003;Martin, Roy, Wells, & Lewis, 1997;Michell, 2012;Walmsley, 2011;Wells, Turner, Martin, & Roy, 1997;Wilson & Haire, 1990), 5 from Wales (Baxter et al, 2006;Felce et al, 2008aFelce et al, , 2008bJones & Kerr, 1997;Perry et al, 2010) 4 from Scotland (Cooper et al, 2006;Jones et al, 2009;McKenzie & Powell, 2004;Romeo et al, 2009), and 3 from Northern Ireland (Barr et al, 1999;McConkey, 2013;McConkey, Moore, & Marshall, 2002). Additional publications were identified based on studies conducted in the following countries: 8 from Australia (Beange et al, 1995;Gordon, Holden, Ware, Taylor, & Lennox, 2012;Lennox, Green, Diggens, & Ugoni, 2001;Lennox, Rey-Conde, & Cooling, 2006;Lennox et al, 2007Lennox et al, , 2010Lennox et al, , 2013Lennox, Rey-Conde, & Fai...…”

Consider the Support Worker in the Role of Health Assessments

“…In 2013, the present authors published a study investigating the views of GPs participating in qualitative phases of a randomized controlled trial testing the short-term effectiveness of an Australian health assessment (Lennox et al 2013). Recognizing the critical role of support workers in the health care of people with intellectual disability, the present authors undertook telephone interviews with 35 support workers at the conclusion of the trial to determine their perceptions of the health assessment.…”