Research User Group Newsletter Keele University RUG Summer newsletter 2018 | Page 22

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EVENTS
RESEARCH
Increasing
diversity
North Staffordshire
Combined healthcare
NHS Trust recently
launched a new
BAME (Black, Asian
and Minority Ethnic)
network in the region.
The first meeting, held in
August, was facilitated by
Yvonne Coghill, OBE, Director,
Workforce Race Equality
Standard Implementation
NHS England and PPIE team
member Laura attended to find
out more about how we can
be more inclusive in our public
and patient work.
Some interesting points were raised during the morning,
including:
Why do people from BAME backgrounds not access health
care services or take part in health care research?
•

Cultural reasons – families from BAME backgrounds keep
illness and health very private and look after each other within
the family unit. They therefore do not seek help or do not like to
openly talk to people about their conditions outside of the
family unit.
• There is a fear that the rest of their community will find out they
have a condition and so they end up staying away from services.
• Belief that they won’t be treated the same as people from white
backgrounds and suspicion of white people in power
What can we do?
• There needs to be more engagement with BAME patients and
it needs to be sustained engagement
• Better engagement can transform diversity to inclusion in
healthcare and healthcare research
• Better communication between different groups
Patient Perspectives of
Rheumatoid Arthritis,
anxiety and depression
A study conducted by Keele University shows that patients with
rheumatoid arthritis who are also suffering with anxiety or depression
may avoid talking to their GP about their mental health symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a
long-term inflammatory
condition which causes joint
pain, swelling and deformity.
Although 1 in 5 people with
rheumatoid arthritis experience
anxiety or depression, the
study (funded by the Haywood
Hospital) found that healthcare
providers may not recognise
mental health problems; instead
prioritising physical health
concerns. The research showed
that this negative experience of
care can lead to patients feeling
unable to raise their mood
problems in future consultations.
Lead researcher
and academic GP,
Dr Annabelle Machin,
commented;
International Scoliosis
Awareness Day
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Knowledge Broker Laura Campbell was asked to
be the keynote speaker at the Scoliosis Association UK’s International Awareness Day event, held
in London in June. Outside of Keele Laura is the Lead Midlands Regional Representative for the
charity and is the co-founder of Back2Back, a scoliosis support service at University Hospitals of
North Midlands NHS Trust. She was asked to share her experiences of living with the condition and
her ongoing work supporting patients.
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I would like to thank the
NIHR for funding this
study, which I hope will
promote future discussion
of mood problems within
rheumatoid arthritis
annual reviews, as this
could have a great impact
on both physical and
mental health outcomes
for patients.”
The Haywood Foundation funded
the set-up of nurse-led clinics in
two North Staffordshire community
hospitals, as part of a rheumatoid
arthritis annual review. Dr Annabelle
Machin, a National Institute for
Health Research (NIHR) funded
researcher, interviewed patients
about their previous experiences of
care, understanding of anxiety and
depression, and preferences for the
management of mood problems. There was key input from a patient
group, who not only assisted with
study design and analysis of the
interview transcripts, but also
helped to develop an information
leaflet, which educates patients
about mental health problems and
treatments in rheumatoid arthritis.
The leaflet is now readily available
in the Patient Information and
Education Resource Centre (PIER)
at the Haywood Hospital.
Some patients interpreted their
mood problems as normal because
of their rheumatoid arthritis, which
prevented them from seeking help.
Others reported GP appointments
to be anxiety-provoking, or felt that
their GP prioritised physical over
mental health concerns. Patients
felt these potential barriers to the
discussion of their mood problems
could be overcome through
continuity of care, provision of
time, and encouragement to attend
follow-up appointments by a named
GP. Patients experiencing severe
anxiety and depression felt that
mood problems themselves could
be a barrier to self-referral for
psychological therapy, suggesting
that a GP referral could improve
access to care. Lead researcher and academic GP,
Dr Annabelle Machin, commented;
“I would like to thank the NIHR for
funding this study, which I hope will
promote future discussion of mood
problems within rheumatoid arthritis
annual reviews, as this could have
a great impact on both physical
and mental health outcomes for
patients”.
The results were recently published
in the British Journal of General
Practice.