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Original research
Young persons and healthcare professionals experience of virtual gastroenterology consultations: a multicentre survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic
  1. Rhona Hubbard1,
  2. Alenka Brooks2,
  3. Naila Arebi3,
  4. Sara El-Khouly4,
  5. Fevronia Kiparissi4,
  6. Ella Mozdiak5,
  7. Rafeeq Muhammed6,
  8. Philip J Smith7,
  9. Natalia Zarate-Lopez8,
  10. Victoria Garrick9,
  11. James Greenan-Barrett10,
  12. Sarah Baker11,
  13. Keith Bradbury11,
  14. Nicholas DelNero11,
  15. Priya Narula11
  1. 1 Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
  2. 2 Academic Department of Gastroenterology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
  3. 3 Department of Gastroenterology, St Mark's Hospital Foundation, London, UK
  4. 4 Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
  5. 5 Department of Gastroenterology, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Walsall, UK
  6. 6 Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
  7. 7 Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK
  8. 8 Department of Gastoenterology and GI Physiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  9. 9 Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, Glasgow, UK
  10. 10 Department of Gastroenterology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  11. 11 Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
  1. Correspondence to Rhona Hubbard, Gastroenterology, Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S10 2TH, UK; rhona_hubbard{at}hotmail.co.uk

Abstract

Objective To explore Young Persons (YP) and healthcare professionals (HCP) experiences of virtual consultations (VC) and establish whether developmentally appropriate healthcare can be delivered virtually.

Method YP and HCP questionnaire surveys were designed and piloted. Electronic questionnaire links were sent by post, email or text message January–April 2021 to YP aged 13–25 years old, with predefined chronic gastrointestinal conditions, attending a gastroenterology/hepatology VC. HCP undertaking VC were invited to complete staff questionnaire. Results were anonymous and collated using Excel version 2302.

Results Five UK hospital trusts participated, with 35 HCP responses. Of the 100 YP completing the survey 66% were female and 34% male aged between 13 years and 25 years (median: 18 years). 13% were new appointments and 87% follow ups, 29% were by video, 69% by phone and 2% gave no response. 80% of HCP spoke to YP directly but not privately (69%). 87% of YP and 88% HCP found VC useful. 83% of YP want VC again, although 20% preferred face to face. 43% of HCP required improved phone/internet connection. 77% of YP required hospital appointments for tests following VC.

Conclusions Overall respondents were satisfied with VC, finding them useful, convenient and time saving. Successful VC rely on appropriate patient selection and availability of reliable technology. Patient preference is key which may alter with time.

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Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request.

This article is made freely available for personal use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2022-102354

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    Data availability statement

    Data are available upon reasonable request.

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @alenkabrooks

    • Contributors RH: Guarantor, project lead, project design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, writing manuscript, manuscript revision and submission, final approval and agreement to be accountable. PN: project supervisor and conceived project, project design, data collection, revision of manuscript, final approval of manuscript and agreement to be accountable. AB, SE-K, PJS and NZ-L: project design, data collection, article review/feedback, final approval and agreement to be accountable. NA, FK, EM, RM, VG, JG-B, SB, KB and ND: project design, article review/feedback, final approval and agreement to be accountable.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests PJS and AB are associate editors at Frontline Gastroenterology.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.

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