Patient-reported experience measure in sickle cell disease

Objectives To develop patient-reported experience measure surveys for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) to understand their healthcare and lived experience in the UK and for their use in future to inform healthcare service development. Design Picker methodology was used as follows: (1) qualitative scoping by focus group discussions; (2) questionnaire development through stakeholder consultations; (3) construct validation of questionnaires through cognitive testing; and (4) further assessment of construct validity by a nationwide pilot survey. Setting Patients with SCD and their carers were eligible. Focus group discussions took place in non-hospital settings, arranged out of hours. Cognitive testing took place in specialist sickle cell clinics. The pilot survey was available to UK participants only and was administered through web-based questionnaires, face-to-face completion and in sickle cell community events. Participants Thirty-three patients and carers took part in the focus groups, 21 participants undertook cognitive testing and 722 respondents completed the pilot survey. Results Findings highlighted a widespread prevalence of poor knowledge about SCD among healthcare providers and the public. Poorer experience of care was present in the emergency setting compared with planned care, of which lack of timely provision of pain relief was of concern. Adolescents and young people reported significantly poorer experience of care in several domains compared with children or adults. Conclusions The new surveys functioned well, with good evidence of validity, and were accessible to the SCD patient population, supporting their future use in assessing patient experience to inform service delivery and improvements in care quality.