Our service in action

COPD and seldom heard groups: developing the national service framework

The Picker Institute worked with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and their carers on behalf of the Department of Health, as part of the development of a National Service Framework. Using focus groups and interviews, the project sought to explore the views of minority ethnic patients in order to establish whether their experience and understanding of their condition was markedly different to that of the majority white population.

Open the project report.

Differing response rates by ethnicity

The Picker Institute undertook a project for the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP) to identify examples where minority ethnic communities have had an influence on the work of local NHS organisations. We also analysed responses to the latest published national primary care survey by ethnicity.

The good practice examples we found are available on the NAPP website along with further details about the project outcomes.

Care home residents and their experience of pain

On behalf of the Patients Association the Picker Institute carried out the first major UK investigation into the experiences of chronic pain of care home residents. Over 75 residents, average age 82½, were asked their views using interviews or interviewer-administered questionnaires.

We found that pain management is heavily dependent upon basic, routine medication. Residents of care homes say they rarely see their GPs and take little part in medication reviews. Both staff and residents appear to accept pain as an inevitable part of old age rather than seek active management strategies, despite its negative impact on quality of life, mental health, mobility and social activity.

Download the report from the Patients Association site.