Dataset Information

A service evaluation of an occupational health Covid-19 referral pathway.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A rapid management referral pathway was established by a private UK occupational health (OH) provider to offer assessments and advice on managing individual risk relating to Covid-19 in the workplace.

Aims

The aim of this service evaluation was to assess the utilization and effectiveness of the pathway in supporting referrers during a pandemic.

Methods

Referrals between March-August 2020 were analysed by date and industry to assess service utilization. A survey was sent to a convenience sample of referrers throughout this period, requesting feedback on whether the report led to a change in how the worker was managed, and whether it increased referrer confidence in managing the worker.

Results

Five hundred and seventy referrals were made, predominantly from wholesale and retail; professional, scientific and technical; and food and drink production. There was a small peak of referrals from manufacturing in April and a larger peak in July-August from wholesale and retail, and food and drink production. Of 166 surveys sent, 58 were completed (35% response rate). In 71% of cases, referrers indicated that the report led to change in how the worker was managed, and in 86% of cases, referrers reported being more confident in managing the worker.

Conclusions

The pathway was well-utilized. OH assessments and advice have an important role to play in a pandemic, with useful impact on how workers are managed and how confident managers feel in managing workers.

SUBMITTER: Napier J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7928657 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

A service evaluation of an occupational health Covid-19 referral pathway.

Napier J J Zhou A Y AY Moore J J

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England) 20210401 2

<h4>Background</h4>A rapid management referral pathway was established by a private UK occupational health (OH) provider to offer assessments and advice on managing individual risk relating to Covid-19 in the workplace.<h4>Aims</h4>The aim of this service evaluation was to assess the utilization and effectiveness of the pathway in supporting referrers during a pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>Referrals between March-August 2020 were analysed by date and industry to assess service utilization. A survey w ...[more]

PMID: 33420507

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Project description:BackgroundFor ethnic minority communities in the UK, the COVID-19 pandemic amplified existing health inequalities and created other consequential disadvantages like increased vulnerability to COVID-19, higher rates of hospital admissions, increased mortality and poorer mental health outcomes. While longer-term impacts of COVID-19 are considered, it is crucial for NHS mental health services to understand the specific barriers and needs of ethnic minority communities to provide consistent and equitable access to mental health services. These aspects were the focus of a service evaluation of a Sussex-wide mental health service conducted in co-production with experts-by-experience, public members, health professionals and researchers from ethnic minority communities.MethodsCo-designed creative workshops (n = 13) and semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 13) were used to explore experiences of accessing specialist mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) service users recruited between October 2021 and January 2022; aged 16+; from ethnic minority community backgrounds. Data was analysed using Thematic Analysis.ResultsThe analysis yielded five overarching themes contextualising service users' experiences: (1) limited awareness of SPFT mental health services; (2) effects of COVID-19 in gaining access to SPFT; (3) SPFT reaching out to ethnic minorities; (4) being supported, 4a) hiding my mental health status from friends and families, 4b) lack of ethnic diversity in services, and 4c) better provision of information and support services, (5) relationship between childhood experiences and current mental health. These findings led to seven key recommendations for future service developments within SPFT.ConclusionsAlthough this evaluation was set in the context of COVID-19, findings have highlighted specific mental health service needs for ethnic minorities that are applicable beyond the confines of the pandemic. Many benefited from online sessions seen as more inclusive. Mental health advocates, outreach and joint working with communities could help further reduce stigmatising attitudes and improve engagement with mental health services. Improved service awareness of the impact of childhood or historical traumas experienced by ethnic minority communities on current mental health, the role of cultural awareness training and availability of culturally adapted therapies is also needed. Many service improvement recommendations provided could impact all service users.

Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic required substantive delivery and practice changes for government services under tight timeframes and high public scrutiny. These urgently implemented service changes provided the opportunity for evaluators to support decision-makers to understand the impact of adaptations for those delivering and receiving health and human services. Tailored rapid evaluation methods (REM) provide a pragmatic approach to generating timely information for evidence-based policy and decision-making under these conditions. Drawing from features of a range of existing rapid evaluation models, as well as developmental and utilization-focussed evaluation theory, this article outlines the design and implementation of a novel REM approach and considers the benefits of both tailoring and standardizing rapid evaluation approaches to meet end-user needs. The tailored REM approach and mixed methods are contextualized and compared to other documented rapid evaluation models to demonstrate the purpose and value of customization. This article builds on previous descriptions of the implementation of a novel REM approach to provide a comparative account of tailored rapid evaluation methods. The article outlines the drivers that led to the selected tailoring of the REM approach, and shares lessons learned in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by a large internal government evaluation unit (Department of Health and Human Services) in Victoria, Australia. The customized features of REM ensure that it can consider the experiences of those delivering and receiving services, and inform near-term decision-making on programme and policy design in emergency and fast-paced contexts. The article shares a case study of a rapid evaluation of telehealth in pediatric care to demonstrate insights from tailoring the REM approach in practice. The REM method was utilized with the aim of delivering findings in a time-sensitive manner to rapidly inform decision making for policy-makers. Key enablers for the tailored REM protocol include the use of multi-disciplinary teams, flexible evaluation design, and a participatory approach that facilitates stakeholder involvement throughout delivery. Insights from the case study and methods presented seek to inform practice for evaluators who intend to or may want to tailor their own rapid evaluation model in resource and time-limited settings.

Dataset Information

A service evaluation of an occupational health Covid-19 referral pathway.

Background

Aims

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

A service evaluation of an occupational health Covid-19 referral pathway.

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