Perspectives on COVID-19 testing policies and practices: a qualitative study with scientific advisors and NHS health care workers in England.
BMC Public Health
; 21(1): 1216, 2021 06 24.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34167491
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
As COVID-19 death rates have risen and health-care systems have experienced increased demand, national testing strategies have come under scrutiny. Utilising qualitative interview data from a larger COVID-19 study, this paper provides insights into influences on and the enactment of national COVID-19 testing strategies for health care workers (HCWs) in English NHS settings during wave one of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-August 2020). Through the findings we aim to inform learning about COVID-19 testing policies and practices; and to inform future pandemic diagnostic preparedness.METHODS:
A remote qualitative, semi-structured longitudinal interview method was employed with a purposive snowball sample of senior scientific advisors to the UK Government on COVID-19, and HCWs employed in NHS primary and secondary health care settings in England. Twenty-four interviews from 13 participants were selected from the larger project dataset using a key term search, as not all of the transcripts contained references to testing. Framework analysis was informed by the non-adoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, and sustainability of patient-facing health and care technologies implementation framework (NASSS) and by normalisation process theory (NPT).RESULTS:
Our account highlights tensions between the communication and implementation of national testing developments; scientific advisor and HCW perceptions about infectiousness; and uncertainties about the responsibility for testing and its implications at the local level.CONCLUSIONS:
Consideration must be given to the implications of mass NHS staff testing, including the accuracy of information communicated to HCWs; how HCWs interpret, manage, and act on testing guidance; and the influence these have on health care organisations and services.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Medicina Estatal
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Guideline
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMC Public Health
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article