Health Professional Qualifications
More than three in five (64%) UK adults use the services of a health professional, but 81% of this group admit they do not check whether the specialist treating them is qualified or not, according to a new survey by the MORI Social Research Institute.
The survey was conducted on behalf of the Health Professions Council (HPC) -- an independent, UK-wide health regulator -- and analyses the general public's usage of Health Professionals and how much they know about how they are regulated.
The research also shows just under one in three (29%) of those who use the services of a health professional had their last appointment without a referral from their GP.
Topline Findings
- Over three in five (64%) have used the services of a Health Professional. Physiotherapists (33%), Radiographers (32%) and Chiropodists / Podiatrists (20%) are the most popular. Usage of more than one HP is common with a quarter (25%) having seen more than two Health Professionals.
- Seven in ten (71%) saw their last Health Professional via a GP/Hospital referral and just under three in ten (28%) say they would only ever go by this route. Those who would consider going direct to a Health Professional are most likely to do so to save time (21%).
- Eight in 10 (81%) of those who have seen a Health Professional say that they do not check whether the specialist treating them is qualified or not. Just under one in five (19%) say they did check, with the most common method being checking certificates or letters after the Health Professional's name (6%).
- Awareness of the HPC's role as a regulator is low, with only 5% saying they would turn to the HPC if they had a complaint about a Health Professional. People are most likely to turn to their Local Authority (35%) or that Health Professional's immediate manager (23%) to make a complaint.
- Just over one in ten (12%) of the UK general public heave heard of the HPC.
Topline Results
- MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 2,127 UK adults aged 16+.
- 1,979 of these were in Great Britain and 148 in Northern Ireland.
- Interviews were carried out face-to-face with the aid of CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) terminals in Great Britain and on paper in Northern Ireland.
- The fieldwork period was 22-26 September 2005.
- Data have been weighted to the known population profile.
- Where figures do not sum to 100 per cent, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple codes or the exclusion of 'Don't know'.
- * represents a percentage of greater than zero, but less than 0.5%.
Q1 Which, if any, of the following health professionals' services have you ever used? I'd like you to think of all the ways in which you may have used these services e.g. hospitals, GP surgeries, walk-in centres, pharmacies and in their homes or on the phone. Please take into account both treatment and advice from these particular health professionals.
| % | |
|---|---|
| Physiotherapists | 33 |
| Radiographers | 32 |
| Chiropodists and podiatrists | 20 |
| Paramedics | 17 |
| Operating department practitioners | 15 |
| Dieticians | 9 |
| Occupational therapists | 8 |
| Orthoptists | 7 |
| Speech and language therapists | 5 |
| Clinical scientists | 3 |
| Biomedical scientists | 3 |
| Prosthetists and Orthotists | 2 |
| Arts therapists | 1 |
| None of these | 35 |
| Don't know | 1 |
| Any | 64 |
| Seen 1 health professional only | 24 |
| Seen 2 health professionals | 17 |
| Seen more than 2 health professionals | 24 |
Q2 When did you personally last have any contact with any of these health professionals? Base: All who have seen a health professional (1,364)
| % | |
|---|---|
| In the last 12 months | 52 |
| Over 1-2 years ago | 15 |
| Over 2-5 years ago | 16 |
| Over 5-10 years ago | 9 |
| More than 10 years ago | 7 |
| Don't know / can't remember | 1 |
| In the last 2 years | 67 |
| Over 2 years ago | 33 |
Q3 Thinking about the first occasion that you saw one of these health professionals, how, if at all, did you check in advance whether or not they were qualified to treat you? Base: All who have seen a health professional (1,364)
| % | |
|---|---|
| I did not check | 61 |
| I assumed they must be, in order to practice | 15 |
| I took it on trust they would be | 10 |
| They displayed their certificates to me / had letters after their name | 6 |
| I checked with their regulatory body | 2 |
| It was not important for me to find out | 1 |
| Other | 10 |
| Don't know / cant remember | 3 |
Q4 Thinking about the last occasion that you had contact with one of these health professionals on the previous card, through which, if any of these ways did you come to see that particular health professional? Base: All who have seen a health professional (1,364)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Via referral from a GP / hospital | 71 |
| Via recommendation from a friend / family member | 7 |
| I knew where they were already | 6 |
| The professional was already an acquaintance of mine | 2 |
| I found them in a local directory (e.g. Yellow Pages) | 2 |
| Via recommendation / introduction from my employer / trade union | 2 |
| I found them via the internet | * |
| Other | 6 |
| None of these | 3 |
| Don't know / can't remember | 1 |
Q5 For what reasons, if any, might you choose to go direct to one of these health professionals, rather than via referral?
| % | |
|---|---|
| I would only see a health professional via a referral from a GP / hospital | 28 |
| To save time | 21 |
| No particular reason | 11 |
| If I trusted the person recommending / introducing them | 6 |
| I would trust them to know what they were doing | 5 |
| I have, or can access, enough medical information to decide for myself what treatment I need | 3 |
| If it were the same cost as going via referral | 2 |
| If the specialist was an acquaintance of mine | 2 |
| I could shop around for the best value | 1 |
| Other | 8 |
| Don't know / can't remember | 19 |
Q6 Which two or three of the following factors, if any, would you say most affect the confidence you personally have in a health professional?
| % | |
|---|---|
| His / her communication skills / how well he / she explains things | 43 |
| His / her knowledge/technical ability | 36 |
| Success rates of his / her treatments | 27 |
| How much he / she involves patients in treatment decisions | 27 |
| The amount of dignity and respect he / she gives to patients | 24 |
| How up-to-date he / she is with new developments in their field | 22 |
| Formal accreditation e.g. certificate on his / her practice wall | 17 |
| Letters after their name | 12 |
| Formal identification e.g. ID Card | 11 |
| Affiliation with official regulatory bodies | 10 |
| Other | 1 |
| None of these | 4 |
| Don't know | 6 |
Q7 Which, if any, of the following, would you personally contact if you had a complaint to make about a health professional?
| % | |
|---|---|
| The local health authority | 35 |
| Their immediate boss / line manager | 23 |
| The British Medical Association | 16 |
| The office / practice / ward in which they work | 15 |
| The Department of Health | 15 |
| The General Medical Council | 14 |
| The citizen's advice bureau | 12 |
| The relevant professional body/ council | 11 |
| The Healthcare Ombudsman | 9 |
| The Health Professions Council | 5 |
| The Healthcare Ombudsman | 2 |
| Other | 2 |
| None of these | 2 |
| I wouldn't know who to contact / don't know | 11 |
Q8 Before today's interview, had you heard of the HPC, or not?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 12 |
| No | 86 |
| Don't know | 2 |
Q9 Through which, if any, of these ways do you personally think the HPC should best communicate its services and role to the public?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Leaflets in GPs' surgeries | 47 |
| TV adverts | 39 |
| Television (unspecified) | 25 |
| Leaflets through your door | 24 |
| The Internet | 22 |
| Newspapers (unspecified) | 17 |
| Newspaper articles | 17 |
| TV programmes | 17 |
| Newspaper adverts | 16 |
| Radio adverts | 14 |
| Posters on public transport | 13 |
| Radio (unspecified) | 12 |
| Posters / billboards in other public places | 11 |
| Magazine articles | 11 |
| Information on their website | 11 |
| Radio programmes | 10 |
| Public events and conferences | 9 |
| Other | 1 |
| None of these | 3 |
| Don't know | 7 |
