PREMs In Vascular SurgERy Enhancement Study

THE PROBLEM: Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) ask patients about their healthcare service experience. It gives them a voice to share their views. PREMs allow healthcare providers (HCPs) to see where care is good, and where they could improve. Vascular surgery is a surgical speciality looking after people's blood vessels (arteries and veins). There is no PREM available for vascular patients. The research team want to create a PREM for this patient group. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT: A PREM allows HCPs to record and understand patients' experiences of their treatment. It gives patients a way to provide feedback on their healthcare experience. PREMs can help HCPs make changes to patients' care, identifying areas of good practice and areas for improvement. The Welsh Government is keen to support the use of PREMs. AIMS: To develop a PREM specific to vascular surgery patients. RESEARCH PLAN: The research team will summarise the literature about PREMs in surgery. The research team will then run focus groups and interviews with patients and staff to create a 'draft' PREM for vascular patients in Wales. The 'draft' PREM will be translated into Welsh. In the second phase, a larger number of vascular patients (100-300 depending on how long the 'draft' PREM is) from hospitals across Wales will complete the questionnaire. Statistical tests will look at the results to see if the questionnaire works well to capture patients' experiences. Based on these results, small changes will be made to make the 'draft' PREM better. This will make sure the 'final PREM' is ready for widespread use in Wales and beyond. PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: The patients' experience team at CAVUHB has reviewed our patients' materials. Our research team includes PPI co-applicants (DC and AH). DC a double amputee who has had many vascular operations. DC has experience raising awareness about vascular disease through public forums like the Limbless Association Charity and BBC Radio Wales. AH