How is patient-centred care understood by the clinical, managerial and lay stakeholders responsible for promoting this agenda?
OBJECTIVE
This study explores how the term patient-centred care is understood, particularly by those who are involved in translating the concept from a theoretical idea into a practical application. It examines the ways in which intermediate level stakeholders such as health service managers, educationalists, professional leaders and officers of patient bodies understand and promote patient-centred care among health professionals actually delivering patient care.


METHODS
Qualitative interview study.


METHODS
Interviewees were drawn from groups and organizations from four categories: health agencies and regulatory bodies, Royal Colleges and other professional bodies, educational institutions, patient and user groups and consumer organizations.


METHODS
The meanings and understandings of patient-centred care, commitment to implementing patient-centred care and barriers and opportunities to implementation.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient-centred care covers a range of activities from patient involvement in individual care to public involvement in health policy decisions. Current Department of Health policy has made patient-centred care a priority, but has not clarified exactly what it means. Thus, health professionals, educationalists, managers and patient representatives have all developed different meanings of patient-centred care to reflect their own particular backgrounds and roles. The individual aspects of patient-centred care have been neglected in policy terms and important research findings have not been incorporated into policies to change the attitudes and behaviours of health professionals. Developing a shared understanding of patient-centred care which encompasses all its components is an important role for the new Commission for Patient and Public Involvement.
Gillespie
Rosemary
R
King's Fund, London, UK.
Florin
Dominique
D
Gillam
Steve
S
D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011361:Professional Competence; D011640:Public Policy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom