Allied health professionals' perceptions of research in the United Kingdom national health service: a survey of research capacity and culture. 2022

Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Stockdale House, Headingley Office Park, 8 Victoria Road, Leeds, UK. c.comer@leeds.ac.uk.

BACKGROUND With growing recognition of the importance of research in allied healthcare, the new Health Education England (HEE) research strategy articulates a need to transform Allied Health Professional (AHP) identities, culture and roles. An understanding of current AHP research capacity and culture is first required. METHODS A cross-sectional survey targeted AHPs working in NHS health and social care settings across the United Kingdom. The validated Research Capacity and Culture tool was modified and distributed through research and professional networks. Aggregate median scores for perceived research success were categorised as adequate, more than, or less than adequate. RESULTS Of 3344 participants, 3145 identified as HEE-defined AHPs. Individual- and organisation-level research success was perceived as adequate (median scores 4 (IQR 2 to 6); 4 (IQR 2 to 7) respectively). Team-level research success was rated less than adequate (median score 2 (IQR 1-5)). CONCLUSIONS In the UK, AHPs working in NHS health and social care perceive individual and organisational level research skill/success to be adequate. In contrast, inadequacies in research skill/support at team level were exposed, which may hinder successful integration of allied health research into everyday health and social care practice. Recommendations are made with reference to the HEE AHP research strategy.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D006113 United Kingdom Country in northwestern Europe including Great Britain and the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland, located between the North Sea and north Atlantic Ocean. The capital is London. Great Britain,Isle of Man
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000488 Allied Health Personnel Health care workers specially trained and licensed to assist and support the work of health professionals. Often used synonymously with paramedical personnel, the term generally refers to all health care workers who perform tasks which must otherwise be performed by a physician or other health professional. Child Life Specialist,Allied Health Professional,Healthcare Assistants,Healthcare Support Workers,Population Program Specialists,Allied Health Professionals,Assistant, Healthcare,Assistants, Healthcare,Child Life Specialists,Health Personnel, Allied,Health Professional, Allied,Health Professionals, Allied,Healthcare Assistant,Healthcare Support Worker,Personnel, Allied Health,Population Program Specialist,Professional, Allied Health,Professionals, Allied Health,Program Specialist, Population,Program Specialists, Population,Specialist, Child Life,Specialist, Population Program,Specialists, Child Life,Specialists, Population Program,Support Worker, Healthcare,Support Workers, Healthcare,Worker, Healthcare Support,Workers, Healthcare Support
D013222 State Medicine A system of medical care regulated, controlled and financed by the government, in which the government assumes responsibility for the health needs of the population. National Health Service, British,Socialized Medicine,British Health Service, National,British National Health Service,Medicine, Socialized,Medicine, State,Service, British National Health

Related Publications

Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
January 2019, Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
January 2022, BMC health services research,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
January 2024, SAGE open nursing,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
April 2008, Journal of nursing management,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
October 1958, Canadian Medical Association journal,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
January 2023, Digital health,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
March 2015, Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.),
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
November 1977, Journal of the Tennessee Medical Association,
Christine Comer, and Richard Collings, and Alison McCracken, and Carol Payne, and Ann Moore
June 2023, BMC health services research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!