top of page
Home: Homepage_about

 HOW ARE PHARMACISTS RESPONDING TO PATIENTS’ COMMUNICATION NEEDS?

Beth Shallcross & Dr Penny Lewis

Introduction

This participant information sheet should be read in conjunction with The University privacy notice.


You have been invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide whether to take part or not, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information and discuss it with others if you wish. The information provided will hopefully give you a good understanding of what the research is about and how you might be able to help. However, if you have any other questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact either researcher by telephone or email provided using the information provided.  Please take time to decide whether you wish to take part or not. This research is being conducted as part of a student project and will contribute to their Master of Pharmacy degree.


Who will conduct the research?

The research team includes; Beth Shallcross 4th Year Pharmacy student, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, University of Manchester and Dr Penny Lewis, Clinical lecturer in Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, University of Manchester.


What is the purpose of the research?

Effective communication with patients improves patient’s wellbeing and outcomes. This study will look at how community pharmacists communicate with a range of patients, including those who have communication support needs.  However, we are aware that there are barriers to effective communication and we are interested to seek pharmacist’s views as to how communication could be improved.


The findings of this research will help us to design ways of improving communication with patients who have communication support needs. Our findings and any recommendations will be shared with stakeholders such GM LPC to ensure improved practice and improve patient experience. 


Why have I been chosen?

You have been chosen as you are a community pharmacist working in the England.   You have experience of communication with a range of patients and your professional experience is invaluable in the facilitation of this study.  Your views and experience as a practising pharmacist will be enable us to form a true picture of the barriers and solutions surrounding this issue.


Will I be paid for participating in the research?

No you will not be compensated for your time.


What will I have to do if I take part?

If you decide to take part in this study you will be asked to complete a paper questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 24 questions and will take you 10-15 minutes to complete. The questionnaire is split into 6 sub sections, please complete all of them.


What will happen to my personal information?

In order to undertake the research project we will need to collect the following information about you:

  • The year you qualified as a pharmacist

  • Whether you are a contractor or an employee

  • Whether you work in an independent pharmacy or multiple

  • Your gender

Only the research team will have access to this information. However, we DO NOT ask for any identifiable personal information such as your name, date of birth or place of work and therefore your participation is entirely anonymous.


Will my participation in the study be confidential?

Your participation in the study will be kept confidential as we do not ask you any identifiable information. All information obtained from the questionnaire and any other contact with you will be kept strictly confidential. Completed paper versions of the questionnaire can be placed into a sealed envelope before returning. Your participation will not be shared with any stakeholders such as the Local Pharmaceutical Committee.  To ensure confidentiality all data collected is anonymous and securely stored.  Responses collected via Twitter using the online survey are not linked to the Twitter account used. 


What happens if I do not want to take part or if I change my mind?

It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part you will be given this information sheet to keep. However, it will not be possible to remove your questionnaire data from the project as we will not be able to identify your specific data. This does not affect your data protection rights.


Will my data be used for future research?

When you agree to take part in a research study, the data may be provided to researchers running other research studies in this organisation. The future research should not be incompatible with this research project and will concern pharmacy practice.  These organisations may be universities, NHS organisations or companies involved in health and care research in this country or abroad. Your information will only be used by organisations and researchers to conduct research in accordance with the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research.


Where will the research be conducted?

The research will be conducted at a Greater Manchester Healthcare Academy training session or on your personal device using the link provided on Twitter.

What is the duration of the research?

The questionnaire will take 10-15 minutes to complete



Will the outcomes of the research be published?

The findings of this study will be presented in the researcher's dissertation; they may also be reported at professional conferences and in a peer reviewed paper. The results from this study will be stored anonymously for use in future studies. The results will also be shared with stakeholders such GM LPC.



Who has reviewed the study?

All research carried out by the University is reviewed at by the Research Ethics Committee, independent group who protect your safety, rights, well-being and dignity. This study has been reviewed and given a favourable opinion by Manchester University Ethics Committee.


What if I want to make a complaint?

Minor complaints

If you have a minor complaint then you need to contact the researcher(s) in the first instance. Using the following contact details: Dr Penny Lewis, Email: penny.lewis@manchester.ac.uk ,

Tel: 0161 2751806


Formal Complaints

If you wish to make a formal complaint or if you are not satisfied with the response you have gained from the researchers in the first instance then please contact

The Research Governance and Integrity Manager, Research Office, Christie Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, by emailing: research.complaints@manchester.ac.uk  or by telephoning 0161 275 2674.



What will happen next?

If you decide that you would like to take part then please complete the attached questionnaire by 05/04/2019 by using the link provided or completing the paper version.


What Do I Do Now?

If you have any queries about the study or if you are interested in taking part then please contact the researcher(s) using the details below.


If you have any questions about this study, please contact:

Dr Penny Lewis                                                    Beth Shallcross

Clinical Lecturer,                                                                   4th year Pharmacy student

Division of Pharmacy and Optometry                          Email:beth.shallcross@student.manchester.ac.uk    Tel: 0161 2751806                                        

Email: penny.lewis@manchester.ac.uk

This Project Has Been Approved by the University of Manchester’s Research Ethics Committee [5759]


Please now use the following link to complete the survey

https://apps.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/surveys/TakeSurvey.aspx?PageNumber=1&SurveyID=86KHlm6M2&Preview=true 

Home: News
bottom of page