Assessing the awareness of and attitude to NICE guidance within GP partnerships in one PCO in Wales: a qualitative study using focus group interviews

Venn, Sally MBChB MPH MRCGP DGM DCH DFPHM
Edwards, Adrian MRCGP MRCP PhD

Specialist Registrar, National Public Health Service for Wales, Pontypool, South Wales, UK
Reader, Department of Primary Care, University of Wales Swansea Clinical School; Clinical Governance Lead, Torfaen Local Health Group, Pontypool, UK

COMPETING INTERESTS

The authors have no competing interests though they note that they are both pratising principals in general practice in Gwent.

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE

Dr Sally Venn, Specialist Registrar, National Public Health Service for Wales, Mamhilad Park Estate, Pontypool, South Wales, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1495 322682; fax: +44 (0)1495 769201; email:[email protected].

Accepted April 2003

Quality in Primary Care 11(2):p 123-128, 2003.

Background

Guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) have taken on a special prominence in the UK National Health Service (NHS). Many of these apply to primary care but there are few data available about general practitioners’ attitudes to and practical arrangements for implementing NICE guidance.

Aim

To explore GPs’ attitudes to practice policies and practical arrangements for implementing NICE guidance.

Method

Practice-based focus group interviews.

Setting

One primary care organisation in South Wales.

Results

A total of 36 doctors (62% of the sample) were interviewed, including at least one member from each of the 14 practices in the study. There were high levels of awareness of NICE guidance, but few procedures for dissemination and implementation within practices. The guidance publications were often felt to be of limited practical benefit to professionals who were largely concerned with providing high-quality care to individuals.

Conclusions

These findings may represent significant obstacles to the implementation of NICE guidance and thus limit their scope to enhance the clinical governance agenda in the UK NHS. The obstacles must be addressed in ways that enhance not burden current clinical activity.